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ODDITIES 



OF 



Colonial Legislation 



IN AMERICA, 



AS APPLIED TO THE PUBLIC LANDS, PRIMITIVE EDUCATION, 
RELIGION, MORALS, INDIANS, ETC., ETC., 



WITH AUTHENTIC RECORDS OF 



THE ORIGIN AND GROWTH OF PIONEER SETTLEMENTS 



EMBRACING ALSO A 

CONDENSED HISTORY OF THE STATES AND TERRITORIES, 
WITH A SUMMARY OF THE TERRITORIAL EXPAN- 
SION, CIVIL PROGRESS AND DEVELOP- 
MENT OF THE NATION. 



By JOHN B. DILLON 



The laws of a nation form the most interesting portion of its history.— Gibbon. 



INDIANAPOLIS: 

ROBERT DOUGLASS, PUBLISHER. 
1879. 



25L6S 



Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1876, 

By JOHN B. DILLON, 

In the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington. 

Copyright transferred to Eobert Douglass July 22d, 1878. 




ELECTROTYPED AT THE 

INDIANAPOLIS ELECTROTYPE FOUNDRY, 
Ketcham & Wanamaker, Proprietors. 



IN MEMORIAM. 



The earnest men are so few in the world that their very earnestness becomes at once the badge 
of their nobility.— Dwight. 

John Brown Dillon was born near Wellsburg, Brooke county, in what is now 
West Virginia, and not far from Steubenville, Ohio. When he was an infant his 
father removed to Belmont county, Ohio, where the son had the limited opportuni- 
ties of instruction which the rural schools, during the winter terms, afforded, and 
where he acquired a scant knowledge of reading, writing and arithmetic. At the 
tender age of nine years he lost his father, when he was thrust upon his own re- 
sources and returned to his native county, where he soon became an apprentice to a 
printer at Charleston. Having acquired some knowledge of the "art preservative" 
he directed his footsteps toward Cincinnati, his outfit and fortune consisting of his 
compositor's rule and a resolute purpose to use it. 

It was during the period of his apprenticeship there that he had fostered his 
affection for the Muses, and developed that passion for poetry, which blossomed so 
early in sweet and beautiful creations. 

In 1826 he conceived the poem entitled, " The Burial of the Beautiful," which 
was produced in the Cincinnati Gazette, and which made him conspicuous as a 
writer of verse among the young men of that city who paid court to Parnassus. 
During the year following he was an occasional contributor to Flint's Western Ke- 
view, and in 1829 he wrote " The Orphan's Lament," which appeared in The West- 
ern Souvenir. His poetic adventures continued, and' in 1831 he combined with Wil- 
liam D. Gallagher, subsequently an editor and author of versatile and graphic 
power, for the composition of a New Year's lay for the carrier-boy of the Cincin- 
nati Mirror. In that poem the stanzas on " The Funeral of the Year " were in- 
cluded, beginning : 

' • Come to the funeral of the year ! 

Not with spirits worn by sadness—" 

From Cincinnati Mr. Dillon removed to Logansport, Indiana, where, between 
editorial work and diversions at the " case," he prosecuted the studies in which he 
had been previously engaged, in pursuance of which he made application, was ad- 
mitted to the bar, and began practicing law. But the vapid and interminable 
questions of dry fact, the subtle analyzations and calloused technicalities of the 



4 IN MEMOEIAM. 

legal science, were not so congenial to his fancy as paths of literature and other 
fields of thought and investigation. Hoary border legends, traditional story, but 
more especially local history, deeply absorbed his mind, the sequel culminating in 
a determination, on his part, to prepare a history of Indiana, to the capitol of 
which state he removed in 1842. A small volume of " Historical Notes" was pub- 
lished in 1843, which, however, met with but a limited sale. 

In 1859 was produced "A History of Indiana," embracing a history of the 
discovery, settlement, and civil and military affairs of the great Northwestern ter- 
ritory, together with a clearly defined presentation of the progress of public affairs 
in Indiana, from 1816 to 1856. 

This work, comprising six hundred and thirty-six pages, was issued in 1859, 
by Messrs. Bingham and Doughty, of Indianapolis, and is a most valuable acquisi- 
tion to the historic literature of the nation. It is exhaustive in its detail, concise 
and dense in its statement, refreshing in its luxuriance of fact and evidence, 
methodical in its grouping of salient events, written in the author's characteristic 
style of plain but vigorous English, indicating deep-striking, assiduous research, 
and supported by remarkable proofs of incontestable authentication. 

He was librarian of the state of Indiana, from 1845 to 1850, in which position 
he manifested commendable zeal. In 1851 he was appointed, by Judge Charles H. 
Test, then secretary, assistant secretary of state, in which capacity he served for four 
years. Upon the organization of the state board of agriculture, in the same year, 
he was chosen its first secretary, in which relation he rendered valuable and effec- 
tive service fur five years. 

He was secretary of the Indiana historical society at the time of his death, and, 
as much as any man in the state of his adoption, was distinguished for his fidelity 
to the memory of the pioneers, and a noble desire to preserve the fading record of 
their lives and times. Many, indeed, were his noble utterances concerning their 
struggles and sorrows, both in his chaste and sinewy prose, and the richer em- 
broideries of song. 

In 1861 he was made custodian of the library of the department of the interior 
at Washington, D. C, where with unremittent industry he applied himself until 
1870, at the termination of which time he resigned his position to accept the clerk- 
ship of the committee of the house on military affairs, of which Hon. John Coburn 
was president. After the expiration of this period of service he returned to Indian- 
apolis, where the remainder of his life was spent, and where the sun of his pro- 
longed, busy and useful life sank calmly and composedly into its dark and final 
eclipse. 

' 'As speeds the arrow to its goal, 
So sped his soul through voids of space 
To God." 

That the life of John B. Dillon was an interesting and suggestive one, can not 
be gainsaid ; that, in some of its aspects, its best efforts may have been common- 
place, may be true ; but that it was a life soundly devoted to duty, largely endowed 
with inclinations and faculties to do good, full of the vegetating vigor of manly 



IN MEMORIAM. 5 

purpose, and characterized by the most courageous and conscientious convictions 
of right, his friends, who best knew him, freely and cordially testify. 

There were no whirls, eddies or cascades in the current of his years ; it had 
rather a quiet, steady, earnest and placid flow. He chose the noiseless ways and 
paths of the world to the din, and dust, and smoke and clamor that induce unrest, 
and make its toils and burdens hard and heavy. His proverbial modesty forbade 
his coveting the glare of preferment, or conspicuous situations ; yet, when promoted 
to places of honor, his trustworthiness was exemplary and grand. He was unac- 
quainted with the arts of personal advancement, and lacked emphatically in self- 
assertion. 

He was a student all his life — from his first experiments in living until its toil- 
ing close. He accepted labor as the motive, duty and destiny of man, and never 
was he known to timidly shrink from its mandate or injunction. And may it not 
truthfully be said of him, that he forged and beat out his life by the blows of his 
arm ? Labor to him, therefore, became a joy and pleasure. 

Whether as compositor in the printing office, or as student untangling the 
Penelopean web of the law, or as devotee at the shrine of truth, or in the 
sphere of a public official, the same uniform, unwavering adhesion to duty, and 
vigilant .and scrupulous recognition of obligation, invariably were present. He 
was a deeply earnest man, and polite by nature and by culture — a modest patrician 
gentleman. His extreme simplicity and confiding disposition were everywhere ap- 
parent. He had faith in man — in his highest destinies — cherished a hope for his 
ultimate and universal elevation, looking forward to the better to-morrows — to the 

* ' Day ever rising — never risen ! 
Time ever coming— never come ! " 

He admired all that was sweet in innocence, unsullied in virtue, and was a 
lover of all that is beautiful in the world. To him a beautiful church was a ser- 
mon in stone — its spire, a finger pointing to the Throne. 

In his historical inquiries he aimed to be thorough and exhaustive, assuming 
nothing, and taking nothing for granted. The record, the lower strata, and the bot- 
tom facts had to be explored, and neither time nor toil were permitted to interpose 
to prevent this consummation. Any subject under his consideration received his 
undivided attention and discriminating thought. With him, what was worth doing 
was worth the best employment of his powers in that direction. 

This scrupulous regard for facts was nowhere exhibited more forcibly than in 
his historical labors and composition. He put his honesty into every line he wrote, 
and, in this respect, resembled the mason with whom Hugh Miller served his ap- 
prenticeship, who "put his conscience into every stone that he laid." His history 
of Indiana clearly affirms this assertion, and if slab, shaft, or granite do not com- 
memorate his name, this work will remain his monument, surviving brass and out- 
living marble. 

He was a man of intellect and of wide and varied attainments, a gleaner like 
Ruth, after sheaves of truth. His interpretation of constitutional questions bore 



6 IN MEMOMAM. 

great gravity, and on problems of political science his opinions commanded more 
than respectful attention. His attachment and fondness for books, with which he en- 
joyed the most remarkable familiarity, had expanded into a passion. He had not 
passed the curriculum of the university, nor won the diploma of the college. He 
was self-made, nature not having especially caressed or favored him. What he 
possessed he gathered by "the process of accretion, which builds the ant heap, 
particle by particle, thought by thought, fact by fact." 

If there was one mastering, dominant, conquering instinct or impulse of his 
nature, it was to do right. " His eye was single. He had chosen the good as his 
law." Nor did he desire to simply live in this atmosphere, but he aimed and la- 
bored to diffuse it. His temperament was positive, and, like his morality, it never 
abated. The problem under consideration must be right or wrong, just or unjust, 
and between these, there was, with him, no border land. He cared little about 
probabilities ; the end was the truth, and from this he would not fluctuate, nor, with 
less than logical or rational motives, make excursions from it. His anchorages were 
made in safe harbors. 

A more sensitive man was seldom met. His feelings lay near the surface, and 
were liable to be punctured by the merest bodkin. Hence, he was exceedingly care- 
ful to not wound or hurt the sensibilities of others. Few unkind words ever escaped 
from his lips. The soils of his heart were rich and warm, and subject to an over- 
flow of the affections. His friendships were ardent and unfaltering, and his heart 
was set to their music as the stars are to the melodies of heaven. 

He was no strict constructionist in matters of benevolence, and his contributions 
were only limited by his ability to give. He, perhaps, agreed with Granville, that 

' ' The liberal are secure alone, 
For what we frankly give forever is our own.'' 

His integrity and honesty stole into the hearts and affections of all who knew 
him. Were it possible for all men to achieve riches, it might have been possible 
that he would have preferred virtue. He had no anxiety for the accumulation of 
wealth ; money was the means, not the end, and although, in this respect, his con- 
dition was largely the result of the policy of his life, he never murmured— never 
repined. His life forcibly and felicitously illustrated the conception of the poet, 
who wrote, 

' 'Good resolutions stereotyped in deeds, 
Pure hearts whose throbs are felt in what we say — 
Souls shining with the light that comes from God, 
And lives unselfish and unstained of vice, 
Should be our aim, and not the praise of men." 

Though not a member of the church he was a constant attendant ; was a dili- 
gent reader of the Bible, professing the utmost faith in its precepts, and cherishing 
an abiding trust in the principles of our most holy religion. For some reason, 
wholly within his own keeping, he did not choose the covenant of marriage, yet it 



IN MEMORIAM. 7 

was well known that he entertained a profound regard for the gentler sex, having 
confidence in their mission to elevate and Christianize man, and believing that, 

' 'There 's many a beam from the fountain of day. 
That, to reach us unclouded, must pass on its way 
Through the soul of a woman." 

It has been suggested, but all is conjectural, that in his earlier life some haunting 
disappointment may have befallen him, and that the lines here introduced are evidence 
in that direction. It is sufficient to our purpose to introduce the poem, as an index 
to a delicate and exquisite fancy : 

THE BURIAL OF THE BEAUTIFUL. 

Where shall the dead, and the beautiful sleep? 
In the vale where the willow and Cyprus weep ; 
Where the wind of the west breathes its softest sigh ; 
Where the silvery stream is flowing nigh, 
And the pure, clear drops of its rising sprays 
Glitter like gems in the bright moon's rays— 
Where the sun's warm smile may never dispel 
Night s tears o'er the form we loved so well — 
In the vale where the sparkling waters flow ; 
Where the fairest, earliest violets grow ; 
Where the 6ky and the earth are softly fair, 
Bury her there — bury her there ! 

Where shall the dead, and the beautiful sleep ? 
Where wild flowers bloom in the valley deep ; 
Where the sweet robes of spring may 6oftly rest 
In purity over the sleeper's breast ; 
Where is heard the voice of the sinless dove, 
Breathing notes of deep and undying love; 
Where no column proud in the sun may glow, 
To mock the heart that is resting below; 
Where pure hearts are sleeping, forever blest ; 
Where wandering Peris love to rest ; 
Where the sky and the earth are softly fair, 
Bury her there — bury her there 

Other of his published poems are richly sweet and beautiful, while some, of 
true merit, remain unpublished. 

After a brief and apparently painless sickness, on January 21, 1879, John Brown 
Dillon, patriot, poet, historian, author, and co-laborer with good men and women 
in worthy, noble and Christian enterprises, closed his eyes in that sleep which ends 
this transient, mortal life. 

It was not the writer's privilege to know, or have seen him, only in copied 
features and in words and thoughts. Yet, from what we have been permitted to 



8 IN MEMOEIAM. 

know of him, may we not ask, Who, in all this world of wrongs and inverted 
things ; in this battle with passion and blood ; in this maelstrom of temptation and 
sin — who, left the aroma of a more upright life ? who, exhaled a gentler or manlier 
spirit ? 

He may have had faults. Who has not? And we would mistake our work to 
seek to conceal them behind a cloud of periphrasis. It can be said of John B. 
Dillon, that when he died he " took a man's life along with him." As Thackeray 
wrote of Dick Steele, " Peace be with him ! Let us think gently of one who was 
so gentle; let us speak kindly of one whose own breast exuberated with human 
kindness." 

Indianapolis, June 30, 1879. BEN. DOUGLASS. 



PREFACE. 






This volume is offered to the consideration of all students of American his- 
tory, and especially those readers who have neither time nor opportunities to 
extend their historical inquiries through the very large number of printed volumes 
and manuscripts from which the facts embodied in this work have been compiled. 

In an Epistolary Discourse addressed to Lord Somers, in 1708, the author of 
the Discourse, Thomas Madox, says : " The first duty incumbent on a good His- 
torian is, my lord, to convince his reader that what he offers him is true and genu- 
ine. It is, therefore, of the greatest consequence to make use of, as much as may 
be, evidences and memorials of indisputable authority, that are wrote, first, when 
the matters contained in them were transacted; secondly, by public sanction; 
thirdly, by those who knew how to express properly (according to the manner of 
the age) what was to be defined ; fourthly, candidly and impartially, or without 
any design of concealment or imposition. These four are best met with in public 
records." 

The long and careful researches which preceded the preparati of this vol- 
ume were extended, not only into the details of American colonial history, but 
into the records of many different races of men, living under various political sys- 
tems, and maintaining divers forms of religious worship. 

From these sources I have selected a great number of interesting facts which 
throw light upon the origin and growth of civilized institutions in North America. 
Many of these facts are remarkable and important ; others, of less moment, may be 
regarded as brief commentaries upon the manners and customs of the people to 
whom they relate. * 

No attempt has been made either to magnify or to diminish the real signifi- 
cance of any of the facts which are recorded. As a general rule, they are submit- 
ted, without comment, to the consideration and judgment of the reader. The exact 
words in which certain remarkable statutes were enacted, place before the minds of 
those who may read them, the most authentic evidence of the official opinions of 
many early American colonial legislators. Historical truths have been, very often, 
either overlooked or suppressed by different kinds of prejudices, or transformed 
into errors by the misleading brilliancy of the style of a historian. " Elegance," 
says Sir William Jones, "on a subject so delicate as Law, must be sacrificed, with- 
out mercy, to exactness." 

Authentic information of many interesting particulars which relate to the 
religious sentiments, political opinions, and social conditions, that were generally 

(9) 



10 I'BEFACE. 

prevalent among the people of the several English colonies in America, may be 

acquired by readers who will study the examples of early colonial legislation 

which appear in this work. The remarkable changes through which the minds of 

legislators have passed, in the course of a few generations, are indicated with great 

distinctness, when those early sentiments, opinions and social conditions are 

brought into contrast with the principles of the constitution of the United States 

of America, and with the civil and religious rights of the citizens over whom its 

authority extends. 

J. B. DILLON. 



It is a well known fact, that the late John B. Dillon had for a great number 
of years been engaged on the work that is at this time offered to the public. It is 
a source of profound public regret that his death should have occurred before the 
completion of the volume upon which he had bestowed so many years of careful 
thought and persistent investigation. 

In the part of the compilation over which we have had supervisory control, we 
have adhered with technical and scrupulous fidelity to the plan of the work, as con- 
templated by Mr. Dillon. The path which he had marked out, and along which 
he ploddingly traveled until blinded by the twilight and darkness of death, we 
promptly sought, readily found, and have pursued undeviatingly to the end. 

By the aid of his notes and memoranda, which were generally ample, the com- 
plexity of our task has been materially modified, though we confess that at times 
we were cast upon our own resources, and that our experience was bordered with 
unexpected labor and investigation. 

Our great confidence in the integrity of his pen, not confirmed simply by per- 
sonal researches, but by a unanimous public judgment, has led us to accept him, 
in matters pertaining to this book, as authority against authorities. Although borne 
away by the grim escort, Death, in the midst of the vexing trials and perplexities 
of his editorial labors, we believe the structure, symmetry and harmonious rela- 
tion-^ of the work have been fully and faithfully sustained. 

BEN. DOUGLASS. 

Indianapolis, Ind., June 30, 1879. 



PAKT I. 

INTRODUCTION. 

When Solon, the Athenian lawgiver, visited Egypt, about 
two thousand four hundred and thirty years ago, one of the Egyp- 
tian priests told him that their temples contained very old records 
of many great and wonderful events. " These records," said the 
priest, "tell of a mighty power which was aggressing wantonly 
toward the whole of Europe and Asia. * * * This power 
came forth out of the Atlantic Ocean, for in those days the Atlan- 
tic was navigable ; and there was an island situated in the front of 
the straits which you call the columns of Heracles [the modern 
Straits of Gibraltar] ; the island was larger than Lybia and Asia 
put together, and was the way to other islands, and from the is- 
lands you might pass to the whole of the opposite continent which 
surrounded the true ocean ; for this sea which is within the straits 
of Heracles is only a harbor having a narrow entrance, but that 
other is a real sea. * * * Now, in this island of Atlantis there 
was a great and wonderful empire which had rule over the whole 
island and several others, as well as over parts of the continent. 
* * * But afterwards there occurred violent earthquakes and 
floods * * * and the island of Atlantis * * * disappeared 
and was sunk beneath the sea. " [Dialogues of Plato (The Timseus), 
Jowett's translation, vol. ii., p. 521.] This extract from the writ- 
ings of Plato, who wrote about twenty-two centuries ago, seems to 
contain some obscure allusions to the continent of America. 

Chinese scholars say that ships made voyages from China to 
the western coast of America, which was called Fau Sang, as early 
as the year 458 of the Christian era. 



12 INTRODUCTION. 

In the year 745, Boniface, Bishop of Mentz, a city of Ger- 
many, was accused of heresy before Pope Zachary, " in that he 
(Boniface) averred there were Antipodes." [Collections of Massa- 
chusetts Historical Society, vol. iii., p. 357.] 

Some authorities say that an Irish scholar, who was accused of 
heresy on the subject of the Antipodes, went to Rome in 748, 
or about that time, to visit Pope Zachary, and to prove " that the 
Irish had been accustomed to communicate with a trans- Atlantic 
world." [Baldwin's Prehistoric Nations, p. 401.] 

The persistent investigations of historians, and especially the 
results of the diligent and careful researches which were made, be- 
fore the middle of the present century, by Charl Rafn, " Secretary 
of the Royal Society of Northern Antiquaries," etc., seem to 
prove conclusively that the eastern coast of North America, as far 
southward as Rhode Island, was visited by Scandinavian naviga- 
tors, or Northmen, at different times between the years 1001 and 
1347. 

It is probable that the mainland of America was seen, in 986, 
by a Northman navigator who bore the name of Bjarne, Biarne, 
or Biorn, and who was driven out of his course on a voyage from 
Iceland to Greenland. 

About the year 1001, Leif, the son of Eric the Red, with thir- 
ty-five companions, sailed from Greenland, landed on the Ameri- 
can coast at a place which they called Vinland, and built some 
huts in which they lived during the winter. In the spring the 
adventurers returned to Greenland. 

According to some authorities, Vinland was visited, in 1059, 
by Jon, an Irish or Saxon Christian missionary; and, in 1121, the 
colony was visited by a bishop of Greenland. 

The Edinburgh Encyclopedia says : " It is generally allowed 
that the Norwegians landed on the American shore, and that a col- 
ony, planted by adventurers from that nation, existed for some 
time in the new world." History does not, however, contain any 
information of the breaking up of the colony which was planted at 
Vinland. 

Welsh historians say that, in 1170, Madoc, a Welsh prince, 
sailed far to the westward, and " discovered the country to which 
the name of America was afterwards given." After leaving a few 



INTRODUCTION. 13 

t)f his companions on the mainland, he went back to Wales, and, 
after the lapse of some time, set out on a second voyage for Amer- 
ica. The vague traditions on which these statements of Madoc's 
voyages are founded are, perhaps, worthy of some degree of credit. 
[See Edinburgh Encyclopedia, American Cyclopedia, and authori- 
ties quoted.] 

In 1492 Columbus discovered the islands of San Salvador, 
Hayti and Cuba, and, in 1498, he discovered the island of Trini- 
dad, the river Orinoco, and the mainland of South America. 

In 1497 the coast of Labrador was visited by John Cabot and 
his son Sebastian, who sailed under a commission granted to them 
by Henry VII. of England. In 1498 Sebastian Cabot explored 
the coast of North America, from Labrador southwardly to the 
38th degree of north latitude. Macgregor, the author of " The 
Progress of America," says " there is great obscurity as to the ex- 
act dates of the voyages of Cabot ; for he either kept no journal, 
which is not probable, or his journal has not been found." 

In 1512 Florida was discovered by Juan Ponce de Leon, a 
Spaniard. 

In 1534 Jacques Cartier, who held a commission under the 
crown of France, sailed into the gulf, to which he gave the name 
of St. Lawrence ; and, in 1535, he explored the river St. Law- 
rence as far as the large island to which he gave the name of 
Montreal. 

The early charters by which the crowns of England, France 
and Spain, severally, granted immense territories in North Amer- 
ica, either to companies or to certain individuals, all contain clauses 
which were intended to be favorable to a rapid settlement of the 
country, and to the introduction of civilization and Christianity 
among the Indian tribes of the continent. The work of planting 
European colonists in North America was, however, carried on 
very slowly. 

In 1565, about fifty-three years after the time of the discovery 
of Florida by the Spaniards, a few Spanish colonists established a 
permanent settlement at the site of St. Augustine. 

In 1607, about one hundred and ten years after the second 
voyage of Sebastian Cabot, the English made their first permanent 
settlement in America, at Jamestown, in Virginia. 



14 INTRODUCTION. 

In 1608, about seventy-three years after the date of the discov- 
ery of the river St. Lawrence by Jacques Cartier, the first per- 
manent French settlement in America was founded at the site of 
Quebec. 

In 1609 the Hudson river was discovered by Henry Hudson, 
an Englisnman, who was, at that time, in the service of the Dutch 
East India Company. The region which the Dutch claimed on 
account of this discovery, was called Nova Belgia, or New Nether- 
land ; and a town, to which the name of New Amsterdam was 
given, was laid out on Manhattan island, the site of the city of 
New York. The English took possession of New Amsterdam in 
1664; and the region which the Dutch claimed under the name of 
New Netherland, was granted, in the same year, to the Duke of 
York. 

After a permanent civilized settlement had been established at 
Quebec, in 1608, the French gradually extended their trading 
posts and missionary stations among different tribes of Indians who 
resided at various points on the borders of the river St. Lawrence, 
and in the vicinity of the shores of the lakes Erie, Huron, Michi- 
gan and Superior. Among the early missionaries who visited these 
regions there were some men of piety, learning and great religious 
zeal, who endeavored to establish among the Indians the founda- 
tions of civilization and the doctrines of Christianity. 

In 1682, about 196 years ago, a French exploring party, under 
the command of the brave and unfortunate La Salle, passed down 
the river Illinois, and descended the Mississippi until they discov- 
ered the place at which it enters the Gulf of Mexico. The party 
there planted a cross, raised the arms of France, chanted a hymn, 
and then, on the 19th of April, 1682, La Salle, u in a loud voice " 
and in the name of Louis XIV. " by the grace of God King of 
France and of Navarre," took possession of the river Mississippi 
and its tributaries, and all the country watered by them as far as 
their sources. A paper was prepared by a notary, and signed by 
the principal men of the exploring party, to commemorate the dis- 
covery of the mouth of the great river by the French. The coun- 
try claimed by virtue of this discovery was named Louisiana, in 
honor of Louis XIV. 

From 1682 to 1762, or for a period of eighty years, France 



INTRODUCTION. 15 

continued to assert her claim to all the countries lying westward 
of the Allegheny mountains, between New Mexico and Canada, 
and extending, in all directions, as far as the sources of the rivers 
that flow into the Mississippi. 

In 1609, about two years after a permanent English settlement 
had been founded at Jamestown, in Virginia, King James I. of 
England, granted to a company of adventurers and planters an 
immense territory, which extended four hundred miles along the 
Atlantic coast, and " up into the land " " west and north-west " as 
far as the Pacific Ocean. In 1624, however, at Trinity Term of 
the Court of King's Bench, a judgment was rendered which can- 
celled the grant of 1609 ; and the King issued a commission ap- 
pointing a governor, and eleven councillors residing in Virginia, 
to whom the administration of the affairs of the colony was com- 
mitted. Virginia thus became a royal province, and, excepting 
two brief periods, remained in that political condition until 1776, 
when, by the Declaration of the Independence of the United States, 
the foundations of a new nation were laid in North America. 

About one hundred and thirty-three years after the date of the 
first English settlement at Jamestown, in Virginia, and one hun- 
dred and twenty years after the landing of the Puritans at New Ply- 
mouth, in Massachusetts, English, Irish, Scotch, and German col- 
onists were beginning to found settlements on the head waters of 
the Juniata river, in Pennsylvania, and in the valley of the Shen- 
andoah river, in Virginia. In the beginning of the year 1776, 
about one hundred and sixty-eight years after the time of planting 
the first English colony in Virginia, the total population of the 
thirteen British colonies in America, excluding Indians, was not 
as numerous as that which the city of London now contains. 

For the management and control of early English colonies in 
America three kinds of government were put into operation. 
They were called Eoyal governments, Charter governments and 
Proprietary governments. A Royal government was one under 
which the people were authorized to elect legislative assemblies . 
but the King appointed the governor and council, who were 
invested with authority to veto the acts of assemblies elected by 
the people, and to control, in some measure, the administration of 
the public affairs of the colony. A Charter government was one 



16 INTRODUCTION. 

by which a company, incorporated by a royal charter, was author- 
ized to exercise discretionary power in the administration of the 
affairs of government. As a general rule, in a Charter gov- 
ernment, the company granted to the freemen of the colony the 
right to choose their governor and his council, to elect representa- 
tives in the general assembly, and to choose magistrates and execu- 
tive officers. Charter governments were not authorized to enact any 
laws contrary to those of England. A Proprietary government 
was administered under the supervision of a person, or of persons, 
to whom the King, by letters patent, granted proprietary rights 
over a colony. In such governments the legislative assemblies 
were partly chosen by the people. The enactment of any law in 
conflict with the laws of England was prohibited ; and the powers 
of Proprietary governments were, in some cases, limited by certain 
prerogatives of the crown. 

In Dr. Priestley's Lectures on History, it is said that, of all 
the books not directly historical, none are of such immediate use, 
for the most valuable purposes of history, as law books. In these, 
says Priestley, we may trace both the greater and more minute 
changes in the internal constitution of the nation, with innumerable 
other important* articles of which general historians take but little 
notice. "The laws of a country are necessarily connected with every 
thing belonging to the people of it ; so that a thorough knowledge 
of the laws and their progress would inform us of every thing 
that is most useful to be known '" about the condition of the peo- 
ple for whose government the laws were made. In Laws, Treaties, 
Proclamations, and other official documents, we may find evidence 
of the manners and customs which prevailed, at different periods, 
among the people of communities, states and nations. 

The early codes which were enacted, or adopted, by the legis- 
lative authorities of the different English colonies in America, con- 
tain, severally, special provisions for the suppression of vice and 
immorality, and for the maintenance and support of the Christian 
religion. Nevertheless, in these codes there are many unjust laws. 
The people, however, who live in the present times ought to re- 
member that the early legislators of the different English colonies 
in America were what the laws, the state of religion, and the man- 



INTRODUCTION. 17 

ners and customs of the nation from which they emigrated, had 
made them. 

They were men of strong passions, earnest and sincere in their 
opinions and in their actions; and diligent, not only in the sup- 
port of many good works, but in the maintenance of old errors, 
which had been impressed upon their minds, from the times of 
their childhood, by religious teachings, by political institutions, 
and by all those numerous domestic and social influences which 
combine to mould the character of a people. Their criminal codes 
were not the products of their own minds; but, with very few ex- 
ceptions, their early colonial laws, relative to crimes and punish- 
ments, were adopted from the statutes, orders and decrees of the 
older governments of Europe.* 

Prince, one of the early historians of New England, says: 
" When the founders of these colonies came over it was a time of 
general tyranny both in church and state, through their mother 
island, under which the British kingdoms loudly groaned." [Prince's 
New England, i.] And Lingard, in his History of England, re- 
ferring to the time in which Mary I. lived, says it was "an age of in- 
tolerance, when to punish the professors of erroneous doctrines was 
inculcated as a duty, no less by those who rejected, than by those 
who asserted, the Papal authority." [Lingard's History of Eng- 
land, vol. i\\, p. 347.] 

The pillory, says Burrill, w r as au engine of wood made to 
punish offenders, intended more for the infliction of disgrace than 
pain ; the head and face of the offender being exposed to public 
view through an opening which fitted the neck in such a manner 
that it could not be drawn back; the hands also being secured 
through similar openings. 

Stocks — "A machine constructed of wood, with holes through 
which the feet of offenders were passed, and their persons thus 
confined." 

Stocks for the punishment of men were in use more than 2,500 
years ago. Pashur, the son of Immer, the priest, " smote Jere- 
miah, the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the high 

*In reference to these statutes, etc., the reader may find many interesting par- 
ticulars in Part III. of this volume. 

2 



18 INTRODUCTION. 

gate of Benjamin, which was by the house of the Lord. [Jere- 
miah xx : 2.] 

Men who have been taught to believe what is neither just nor 
true, are generally inclined to try to implant their erroneous opin- 
ions in the minds of all persons within the reach of their influ- 
ence ; and, by such means, false theories of religion and of morals 
have been transmitted from one generation to another, through all 
the centuries which have passed away since the beginning of the 
conflict between Truth and Error. 

The colonial authorities of Virginia, under a Royal govern- 
ment, and the colonial authorities of Massachusetts, under a Char- 
ter government, gradually became the main representatives, on the 
American continent, of two different political systems. In both 
of these colonies, however, at an early time, the legislative author- 
ities enacted laws for the maintenance and support of the Christian 
religion ; for its introduction among the Indian tribes ; for the re- 
ligious instruction of children, servants and slaves ; for the pun- 
ishment of blasphemy; and for the punishment and banishment of 
Roman Catholic priests, and those who were described, in a statute 
of Virginia, as " an unreasonable and turbulent sort of people, 
commonly called Quakers." 

Among the ways of inflicting punishment on the violators of 
early English colonial laws in America, were fines, imprisonment, 
banishment, standing in the pillory, whipping on the bare back, 
standing under the gallows with a rope around the neck, sitting in 
a cage, ducking, cutting off one ear, or both ears, branding on the 
forehead, boring the tongue with hot iron, hanging, dismember- 
ing, etc. Even in the Province of Pennsylvania there were penal 
laws which provided for punishing criminals by burning in the 
hand, cutting off the ears, nailing an ear to the pillory, whipping, 
hanging, imprisonment for life, etc. [Dallas 7 Laws of Pa., i. 130 
— note.] 

Long ago, under Pagan governments, and even under govern- 
ments in which the ruling authorities were regarded as the true 
defenders of the Christian faith, a remarkable degree of heartless 
ingenuity was exercised in devising or inventing ways for the 
punishment of those who were condemned as criminals. These old 
inhuman modes of punishment included breaking on the wheel, 



INTRODUCTION. 19 

dislocating the limbs on the rack, plucking out the eyes, cutting out 
the tongue, burning at the stake, sawing asunder, dragging to death 
by wild horses, stoning to death, burying alive, pressing to death, 
etc. 

Almost four thousand years ago the conqueror of the cities of 
the Ammonites "brought forth the people that were therein, and 
put them under saws, and under harrows of iron, and under axes 
of iron, and made them pass through the brick-kiln." [2d Samuel 
xii:30, 31.] 

In the days of the prophet Jeremiah, even princes were "hanged 
up by their hand." [Lamentation v : 12.] 

King David, in the 51st Psalm, prayed to be delivered from 
" blood-guiltiness." He said to Solomon, " My son, as for me, it 
was in my mind to build a house unto the name of the Lord my 
God ; but the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Thou hast shed 
blood abundantly, and hast made great wars ; thou shalt not build 
a house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon 
the earth in my sight." [1 Chronicles xxii : 7, 8.] 

The historian Tacitus, in his description of the persecution of 
Christians at Rome, under the reign of Nero, says : " First, those 
were seized who confessed that they were Christians ; next, on their 
information, a vast multitude were convicted, not so much on the 
charge of burning the city, as of hating the human race. And, in 
their deaths they were also made the subjects of human sports ; for 
they were covered with the hides of wild beasts, and worried to 
death by dogs, or nailed to crosses, or set fire to, and when day 
declined, burnt to serve for nocturnal lights. Nero offered his own 
garden for that spectacle." [See Tacitus, book xv. — Oxford trans- 
lation — Bonn's edition, i., 423.] 

Those who, in a spirit of impartial inquiry, look over the past 
and the present, will see that pure Christianity, in its progress 
among nations, is gradually banishing from the minds of its follow- 
ers, and from the world, the evils of fanaticism, cruelty and injus- 
tice. It never planted the spirit of persecution in the hearts of 
men. But there have been many professors of Christianity who 
were ignorant of this great truth. A village of Samaritans did not 
receive the Savior ; " and when his disciples James and John saw 
this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down 



20 INTRODUCTION. 

from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did ? But He 
turned and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of 
spirit ye are of, For the Son of Man is not come to destroy men's 
lives, but to save them." [Luke ix : 54-56.] At another time, 
the disciple John said, " Master, we saw one casting out devils in 
thy name, and we forbade him, because he followeth not with us. 
And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not 
against us is for us." [Luke ix : 49, 50.] 

It is a great crime, not punishable by human statutes, to en- 
courage the growth of discord and hatred among the people of any 
nation, by inciting them to remember, with feelings other than 
those of regret and astonishment, the monstrous acts of cruelty and 
injustice which, in former times, frequently marked the policy of 
the governing powers of nominal Christian nations. The fanatical 
fires which were once kindled for the purpose of burning Chris- 
tians, and Jews, and witches, were extinguished long ago, and their 
lurid flames will never blaze out again upon the earth. Neverthe- 
less, the influence of popular education, and the strong and benefi- 
cent power of science, supported by the best statutes which can be 
framed and carried into effect in our country, for the maintenance 
of the freedom of religious worship, the liberty of the press, and 
the freedom of speech, will never be sufficiently powerful to re- 
move sectarian animosities and other irritating and dangerous mal- 
adies from the body politic. Nothing but the influence of divine 
love and divine power, operating on the hearts of the people, is 
adequate to the performance of a work so great in its magnitude 
and so glorious in its nature. 

The religious opinions and the political views which were prev- 
alent, at certain times, among the early legislative authorities of 
different English colonies in America, are made manifest by vari- 
ous statutes, ordinances and proclamations which are quoted in the 
following pages. 



PART II. 

extracts from early colonial laws relating to 
religion and morals. 

Section 1. 

Virginia, 1610. — Extracts from "Articles, Laws and Orders, Divine, Politique and 
Martial, for the Colony in Virginia ; first established by Sir Thomas Gates, 
Knight, Lieutenant-General, the 24th of May, 1610." Printed in London, 
1612. [Force's Collection, iii.] 

" I do strictly command and charge all captains and officers, of 
what quality or nature soever, whether commanders in the field, or 
in town or towns, forts or fortresses, to have a care that the Almighty 
God be duly and daily served, and that they call upon their peo- 
ple to hear sermons, as that also they diligently frequent morning 
and evening prayer themselves, by their own exemplar and daily 
life and duty herein, encouraging others thereunto, and that such 
who shall often and willingly absent themselves be duly punished 
according to the martial law in that case provided." 

"No man [shall] speak impiously or maliciously against the 
Holy and Blessed Trinity, or any of the Three Persons, that is to 
say, against God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy 
Ghost, or against the known articles of the Christian faith, upon 
pain of death." 

"No man shall use any traitorous words against His Majesty's 
person, or royal authority, upon pain of death." 

"No man shall speak any word, or do any act, which may tend 
to the derision or despite of God's Holy word, upon pain of 
death." (21) 



22 KELIGION AND MOEALS. 

" There is not one man nor woman in this colony, now present, 
or hereafter to arrive, but shall give us an account of his and their 
faith and religion, and repair unto the minister, that by his confer- 
ence with them he may understand and gather whether heretofore 
they have been sufficiently instructed and catechised in the princi- 
ples and grounds of religion, whose weakness and ignorance herein 
the minister finding, and advising them, in all love and charity, to 
repair often unto him, to receive therein a greater measure of 
knowledge, if they refuse so to repair unto him, and he, the 
minister, give notice thereof to the governor, or that chief officer 
of that town or fort, wherein he or she, the parties so offending, 
may remain, the governor shall cause the offender, for his first time 
of refusal, to be whipped, for the second time to be whipped twice, 
and to acknowledge his fault upon the Sabbath day in the assembly 
of the congregation, and for the third time to be whipped every 
day until he hath made the same acknowledgment and asked for- 
giveness for the same, and shall repair unto the minister to be fur- 
ther instructed as aforesaid ; and upon the Sabbath, when the min- 
ister shall catechise and demand any question concerning his faith 
and knowledge, he shall not refuse to make answer upon the same 
peril. " 



Section 2. 

Virginia, 1621. — Extracts from instructions issued to Sir Francis Wyatt, Governor 
of Virginia, July 24, 1621. [See Hening's Statutes, vol. i., p. 114.] 

To keep up religion of the church of England as near as may 
be ; to be obedient to the king and do justice after the form of the 
laws of England ; and not to injure the natives ; and to forget old 
quarrels now buried. 

To be industrious, and suppress drunkenness, gaming, and ex- 
cess in clothes ; not to permit any but the council and heads of 
hundreds to wear gold in their clothes, or to wear silk till they 
make it themselves. 

Not to offend any foreign princes j to punish piracies ; to build 
fortresses and block-houses at the mouths of the rivers. 

To use means to convert the heathens, viz., to converse with 



RELIGION AND MORALS. 23 

some; each town to teach some children fit for the college in- 
tended to be built. 

To make a catalogue of the people in every plantation, and their 
conditions; and of deaths, marriages and christenings. 

To take care of dead persons' estates for the right owners ; and 
keep a list of all cattle, and cause the secretary to return copies of 
the premises once a year. 

To take care of every plantation upon the death of their chief; 
not to plant above one hundred pounds of tobacco per head ; to 
sow great quantities of corn for their own use, and to support the 
multitudes to be sent yearly ; to inclose land ; to keep cows, swine, 
poultry, etc., and particularly kine, which are not to be killed yet. 

Next to corn, plant mulberry trees, and make silk, and take 
care of the Frenchmen and others sent about that work ; to try 
silk grass ; to plant abundance of vines, and take care of the vign- 
erors sent. 

To put prentices to trades, and not let them forsake their trades 
for planting tobacco or any such useless commodity. 

To take care of the Dutch sent to build saw-mills, and seat 
them at the Falls, that they may bring their timber by the current 
of the water. 

To build water-mills and block-houses in every plantation. 

To make salt, pitch, tar, soap, ashes, etc., so often recommended, 
and for which materials had been sent ; to make oil of walnuts, 
and employ apothecaries in distilling lees of beer, and searching 
after minerals, dyes, gums, and drugs, etc., and send small quanti- 
ties home. 

To make small quantity of tobacco, and that very good ; that 
the houses appointed for the reception of new comers and public 
storehouses be built, kept clean, etc. 

To take care of Captain William Norton, and certain Italians 
sent to set up a glass-house. 

That care be taken that there be no engrossing commodity, or 
forestalling the market. 

All servants to fare alike in the colony, and their punishment 
for any offenses is to serve the colony in public works. 



24 KELIGION AND MORALS. 

Section 3. 

Vikginia, 1623. — Laws and Orders passed by the General Assembly of Virginia, 
1623-4. [See Hening's Statutes, vol. i., pp. 122-128.] 

That there shall be in every plantation, where the people use 
to meet for the worship of God, a house or room sequestered for 
that purpose, and not to be for any temporal use whatsoever, and^ 
a place empaled in, sequestered only to the burial of the dead. 

That whosoever shall absent himself from divine service any 
Sunday without an allowable excuse shall forfeit a pound of to- 
bacco, and he that absenteth himself a month shall forfeit fifty 
pounds of tobacco. 

That there be an uniformity in our church as near as may be 
to the canons in England, both in substance and circumstance, and 
that all persons yield ready obedience unto them under pain of 
censure. 

That no minister be absent from his church above two months 
in all the year upon penalty of forfeiting half his means, and who- 
soever shall absent above four months in the year shall forfeit his 
whole means and cure. 

That whosoever shall disparage a minister without bringing 
sufficient proof to justify his reports, whereby the minds of his 
parishioners may be alienated from him, and his ministry prove the 
less effectual by their prejudication, shall not only pay five hundred 
pounds weight of tobacco but also ask the minister so wronged for- 
giveness publicly in the congregation. 

That no man dispose of any of his tobacco before the minister 
be satisfied, upon pain of forfeiture double his part of the minister's 
means, and one man of every plantation to collect his means out 
of the first and best tobacco and corn. 

That all the old planters that were here before or came in at 
the last coming of Sir Thomas Gates, they and their posterity, shall 
be exempted from their personal service to the wars and any pub- 
lic charge (church duties excepted) that belong particularly to their 
persons (not exempting their families), except such as shall be em- 
ployed to command in chief. 

For the encouragement of men to plant store of corn the price 



KELIGION AND MORALS. 25 

shall not be stinted, but it shall be free for every man to sell it as 
dear as he can. 

That there shall be in every parish a public granary, unto 
which there shall be contributed for every planter exceeding the 
age of eighteen years, alive at the crop after he hath been here a 
year, a bushel of corn, the which shall be disposed for the public 
uses of every parish by the major part of the freemen, the remain- 
der yearly to be taken out by the owners at St. Thomas's day and 
the new bushel to be put in the room. 

That three sufficient men of every parish shall be sworn to see 
that every man shall plant and tend sufficient of corn for his fam- 
ily. Those men that have neglected so to do are to be by the said 
three men presented to be censured by the governor and council. 

That all trade for corn with the savages, as well public as pri- 
vate, after June next, shall be prohibited. 

That every freeman shall fence in a quarter of an acre of ground 
before Whitsuntide next, to make a garden for planting of vines, 
herbs, roots, etc., subpoena ten pounds of tobacco a man, but that 
no man for his own family shall be tied to fence above an acre of 

land, and that whosoever hath fenced a garden and of the 

land shall be paid for it by the owner of the soil ; they shall also 
plant mulberry trees. 

The proclamation for swearing and drunkenness set out by the 
governor and council are confirmed by this Assembly ; and it is 
further ordered that the church-wardens shall be sworn to present 
them to the commanders of every plantation, and that the forfeit- 
ures shall be collected by them to be for public uses. 

That every dwelling-house shall be palisaded in for defense 
against the Indians. 

That no man go or send abroad without a sufficient party well 
armed. 

That men go not to work in the ground without their arms 
(and a sentinel upon them). 

That the commander of every plantation take care that there 
be sufficient of powder and ammunition within the plantation under 
his command and their pieces fixed and their arms complete. 

That there be due watch kept by night. 

That no commander of any plantation do either himself or suf- 



26 EELIGION AND MOKALS. 

fer others to spend powder unnecessarily in drinking or entertain- 
ments, etc. 

That such persons of quality as shall be found delinquent in 
their duties, being not fit to undergo corporal punishment, may, 
notwithstanding, be imprisoned at the discretion of the commander, 
and for greater offenses to be subject to a fine inflicted by the 
monthly court. 

That at the beginning of July next the inhabitants of every 
corporation shall fall upon their adjoining savages as we did the 
last year, those that shall be hurt upon service to be cured at the 
public charge ; in case any be lamed to be maintained by the coun- 
try according to his person and quality. 



Section 4. 



In 1632 the Assembly of Virginia declared that " when any 
person is dangerously sick, in any parish, the minister, having 
knowledge thereof, shall resort to him or her to instruct and com- 
fort them in their distress." An act passed at the same session of 
the Assembly, 1632, declares that "ministers shall not give them- 
selves to excess in drinking or riot, spending their time idly by 
day or by night, playing at dice, cards, or any other unlawful 
game ; but at all times convenient they shall hear or read some- 
what of the Holy Scriptures, or shall occupy themselves with some 
other honest studies or exercise ; always doing the things which 
shall appertain to honesty, and endeavor to profit the church of 
God, having always in mind that they ought to excel all others in 
purity of life, and should be examples to the people to live well 
and Christianly." [Hening's Statutes, i., 183.] 



Section 5. 

Punishment of Babbling Women in Virginia — 1662. 
A law of Virginia entitled, "A Law to Punish Babbling Wo- 



KELIGION AND MORALS. 27 

men," was enacted by the General Assembly in 1662, in the words 
following : 

" Whereas, Many babbling women slander and scandalize their 
neighbors, for which their poor husbands are often involved in 
chargeable and vexatious suits, and cost in great damages. Be it 
therefore enacted by the authority aforesaid, that in actions of 
slander, occasioned by the wife, after judgment passed for the 
damages, the woman shall be punished by ducking ; and if the 
slander be so enormous as to be judged at greater damages than 
five hundred pounds of tobacco, then the woman to suffer ducking 
for each five hundred pounds of tobacco adjudged against the hus- 
band, if he refuses to pay the tobacco." [Hening's Statutes, ii., 
166.] 

Section 6. 

Punishment of Scolds in Massachusetts — 1672. 

In 1672 the legislative authorities in Massachusetts passed a 
law for punishing scolds, in the words following : 

" Whereas, There is no express punishment (by any law hith- 
erto established ) affixed to the evil practice of sundry persons by 
exorbitancy of tongue in railing and scolding; it is therefore 
ordered, that all such persons, convicted before any court or magis- 
trate that hath proper cognizance of the case, shall be gagged or 
set in a ducking-stool, and dipped over head and ears three times 
in some convenient place of fresh or salt water, as the court or 
magistrate shall judge meet." [Laws of Massachusetts, passed at 
May session at Boston, 1672.] 

A ducking-stool was "an ancient engine for the punishment of 
scolds and delinquent brewers and bakers." 



Section 7. 

A Law of Massachusetts Kelating to Apparel — 1651. 

Although several declarations and orders have been made by 
this court against excess in apparel, both of men and women, which 



28 RELIGION AND MOEALS. 

have not taken that effect as were to be desired, but on the con- 
trary, we can not but to our grief take notice that intolerable ex- 
cess and bravery hath crept in upon us, and especially amongst peo- 
ple of mean condition, to the dishonor of God, the scandal of our 
profession, the consumption of estates, and altogether unsuitable to 
our poverty ; and, although we acknowledge it to be a matter of 
much difficulty, in regard to the blindness of men's minds and the 
stubbornness of their wills, to set down exact rules to confine all 
sorts of persons, yet we can not but account it our duty to com- 
mend unto all sorts of persons the sober and moderate use of those 
blessings which, beyond expectation, the Lord hath been pleased 
to afford unto us in this wilderness; and also to declare our utter 
detestation and dislike, that men or women of mean condition should 
take upon them the garb of gentlemen, by wearing gold or silver 
lace, or buttons, or points at their knees, or to walk in great boots ; 
or women of the same rank to wear silk or tiffany hoods, or scarfs, 
which, though allowable to persons of greater estates, or more lib- 
eral education, yet we can not but judge it intolerable in persons 
of such like condition : 

It is therefore ordered by this court, and the authority thereof, 
that no person within this jurisdiction, nor any of their relations 
depending upon them, whose visible estates, real and personal, 
shall not exceed the true and indifferent value of two hundred 
pounds, shall wear any gold or silver lace, or gold and silver but- 
tons, or any bone lace above two shillings per yard, or silk hoods, 
or scarfs, upon the penalty of ten shillings for every such offense, 
and every such delinquent to be presented by the grand jury. 
[Laws of Massachusetts, ed. of 1672, p. 5.] 



Section 8. 

A Law of Massachusetts Relating to Pride — 1675. 

"Whereas, There is manifest pride openly appearing amongst 
us, in that long hair, like women's hair, is worn by some men, 
either their own or others' hair, made into periwigs; and by some 
women wearing borders of hair, and their cutting, curling and im- 
modest laying out their hair, which practice doth prevail and in- 



KELIGION AND MORALS. 29 

crease, especially amongst the younger sort, this court doth declare 
against this ill custom as offensive to them and divers sober Chris- 
tians amongst us, and, therefore, do hereby exhort and advise all 
persons to use moderation in this respect; and further do empower 
all grand juries to present to the county court such persons, 
whether male or female, whom they shall judge to exceed in the 
premises; and the county court are hereby authorized to proceed 
against such delinquents either by admonition, fine or correction, 
according to their good discretion." [Laws and Orders of Gen- 
eral Court of Massachusetts.] 



Section 9. 

A Law of Massachusetts to Punish Contemners of Religion — 1646. 

" Forasmuch as the open contempt of God's Word, and messen- 
gers thereof, is the desolating sin of civil states and churches; it 
is ordered, that if any Christian (so called) within this jurisdiction 
shall contemptuously behave himself towards the word preached, 
or the messengers thereof called to dispense the same in any con- 
gregation, when he doth faithfully execute his service and office 
therein according to the will and word of God, either by interrupt- 
ing him in his preaching, or by charging him falsely with any error 
which he hath not taught in the open face of the church ; or, like a 
son of Korah, cast upon his true doctrine, or himself, any reproach 
to the dishonor of the Lord Jesus, who hath sent him, and to the 
disparagement of his holy ordinance, and making God's ways con- 
temptible and ridiculous ; that every such person or persons (what- 
soever censure the church may pass) shall, for the first scandal, be 
convented and reproved openly by the magistrate at some lecture, 
and bound to their good behavior: And if a second time they 
break forth into the like contemptuous carriages they shall either 
pay five pounds to the treasury, or stand two hours openly on a 
block or stool four foot high, on a lecture day, with a paper fixed 
on his breast, written in capital letters, 'An Open and Obstinate 
Contemner of God's Holy Ordinances/ that others may hear and 
be ashamed of breaking out into, like wickedness." [Laws of Mas- 
sachusetts, ed. of 1672, pp. 44, 45.] 



30 RELIGION AND MORALS. 

Section 10. 

Liberty of Conscience in Pennsylvania — 1682. 

In 1682 William Perm, in his frame of laws for Pennsylvania, 
declared " that all persons living in this province, who confess and 
acknowledge the one Almighty and Eternal God to be the Creator, 
Upholder and Knler of the World, and that hold themselves 
obliged in conscience to live peaceably and justly in civil society, 
shall in no ways be molested or prejudiced for their religious per- 
suasion or practice in matters of faith and worship ; nor shall they 
be compelled at any time to frequent or maintain any religious 
worship, place or ministry whatever." 

At a council held at Philadelphia. July 25, 1734, the gover- 
nor, Hon. Thomas Penn, " informed the board that he was under 
no small concern to hear that a house lately built in Walnut street, 
in this city, had been set apart for the exercise of the Roman 
Catholic religion, and is commonly called the Romish Chapel, 
where several persons, he understands, resort on Sundays to hear. 
Mass openly celebrated by a popish priest; that he conceives the 
tolerating the public exercise of that religion to be contrary to the 
laws of England, some of which, particularly the 11th and 12th 
of King William the Third, are extended to all of His Majesty's 
dominions ; but those of that persuasion here imagining they have a 
right to it from some general expression in the charter of privileges 
granted to the inhabitants of this government by our late honorable 
proprietor, he was desirous to know the sentiments of this board on 
the subject. It was observed hereupon that if any part of the said 
charter was inconsistent with the laws of England it could be of 
no force, as being contrary to the express terms of the royal charter 
to the proprietary. The consideration of the subject was post- 
poned. [Minutes of the Provincial Council of Pennsylvania, vol. 
iii., p. 589.] 

Section 11. 

Punishment of Blasphemy in Maryland — 1723. 

Be it enacted, by the right honorable the lord proprietor, by 
and with the advice and consent of his lordship's governor, and 



KELIGION AND MOKALS. 31 

the Upper and Lower Houses of Assembly, and the authority of 
the same, That if any person shall hereafter, within this province, 
wittingly, maliciously and advisedly, by writing or speaking, blas- 
pheme or curse God, or deny our Savior Jesus Christ to be the Son 
of God, or shall deny the Holy Trinity, the Father, Son and Holy 
Ghost, or the Godhead of any of the Three Persons, or the unity 
of the Godhead, or shall utter any profane words concerning the 
Holy Trinity, or any the persons thereof, and shall be thereof con- 
vict by verdict or confession, shall, for the first offense, be bored 
through the tongue, and fined twenty pounds sterling to the lord 
proprietor, to be applied to the use of the county where the offense 
shall be committed, to be levied on the offender's body, goods and 
chattels, lands or tenements, and in case the said fine can not be 
levied, the offender to suffer six months imprisonment without bail 
or mainprise ; and that for the second offense, the offender being 
thereof convict as aforesaid, shall be stigmatized by burning in the 
forehead with the letter B, and fined forty pounds sterling to the 
lord proprietor, to be applied and levied as aforesaid, and in case 
the same can not be levied, the offender shall suffer twelve months 
imprisonment without bail or mainprise; and that for the third 
offense, the offender being convict as aforesaid, shall suffer death 
without the benefit of the clergy. [Maxcy's Laws of Maryland, 
i., 169.] 

• 

Section 12. 

Punishments for Blasphemy in Virginia — 1676. 

Extract from "the articles, rules and orders to be observed and 
kept by the army as well in the several garrisons as in the field." 

If any shall blaspheme the name of God, either drunk or sober, 
shall for every offense run the gauntlet through one hundred men 
or thereabouts, either more or less, at the discretion of the com- 
mander, but he or they that shall wilfully, notoriously and obsti- 
nately persist in this wickedness shall be bored through the tongue 
with a hot iron. 

2. If any person or persons in the army shall deride or con- 
temn God's word or sacraments, they shall suffer and undergo the 
aforesaid punishment. 



32 KELIGION AND MOKALS. 

3. If any man shall offend God's name by swearing or notori- 
ous drunkenness, and shall be thereof thrice convicted by his offi- 
cer, and shall still obstinately persist therein, he shall, after the 
third offense, and for every such offense afterwards, ride the wooden 
horse half an hour with a musket tied at each foot, and ask for- 
giveness at the next meeting for prayer or preaching. 

4. That public prayers be duly read in the field or garrison 
every morning and evening, and he that shall, upon the call of the 
drum or other notice by order of the commander given, refuse or 
neglect to repair to the said place of prayer, preaching or reading 
of homilies or sermons, shall be punished at the discretion of the 
commander. 

5. That the commanders of the officers may be the better un- 
derstood, that silence be kept whilst they are marching in the 
fields, and at the encamping and in garrison after the tattooes have 
gone about, upon the penalty to be laid neck and heels during the 
space of one hour for every such offense. [Hening's Statutes, ii., 
333, 334. 



Section 13. 

Torture Prohibited in Massachusetts — 1672. 

The Laws of Massachusetts, printed at Cambridge in 1672, 
contain the following provision : "And no man shall be forced by 
torture to confess any crime against himself, or any other, unless it 
be in some capital case, where he is first fully convicted by clear 
and sufficient evidence to be guilty, after which if the case be of 
that nature that it is very apparent there be other conspirators or 
confederates with him, then he may be tortured, yet not with such 
tortures as are barbarous and inhumane." [p. 129.] 



Section 14, 

Witchcraft. 



The promulgation of laws against witchcraft was not confined 
to Massachusetts and other New England colonies. Virginia, 



RELIGION AND MORALS. 33 

Delaware, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, and other English colo- 
nies in America, adopted, and declared to be in force, an English 
statute passed in 1603, the first year of the reign of James I. ? en- 
titled, "An act against conjuration, witchcraft and dealing with 
wicked and evil spirits." An extract from this statute is the words 
following: 

"And for the better restraining the said offenses and more 
severe punishing the same, be it further enacted by the authority 
aforesaid, That if any person or persons, after the said Feast of 
St. Michael, the Archangel, next coming, shall use, practice or ex- 
ercise any invocation or conjuration of any evil and wicked spirit, 
or shall consult, covenant with, entertain, employ, feed or reward 
any evil and wicked spirit, to or for any intent or purpose, or take 
up any dead man, woman or child, out of his, her or their grave, 
or any other place where the dead body resteth, or the skin, bone, 
or any other part of any dead person, to be employed or used in 
any manner of witchcraft, sorcery, charm or enchantment ; or shall 
use, practice or exercise any witchcraft, enchantment, charm or 
sorcery, whereby any person shall be killed, destroyed, wasted, 
consumed, pined or lamed in his or her body, or any part thereof; 
that then every such offender or offenders, their aiders, abettors 
and counselors, being of any the said offenses duly and lawfully 
convicted and attainted, shall suffer pains of death, as a felon or 
felons, and shall lose the privilege and benefit of clergy and sanc- 
tuary." [Statutes South Carolina ii., 508.] 

This law continued in force in Pennsylvania till the 23d of 
September, 1794. [Dallas' Laws of Pennsyvania, i., 137.] 



Section 15. 

Witchcraft in Maryland— 1666. 

In 1666 the magistrates appointed for a county in the colony of 
Maryland, were directed, under oath, "to inquire, among other 
things, respecting witchcraft, enchantments, sorceries and magic 
arts j " and, in the same colony, in 1674, a person named John 
Ctonnor was convicted and condemned for witchcraft. The Lower 
3 



34 EELIGION AND MOKALS. 

House of the General Assembly petitioned for his reprieve, whicfe 
was granted with a proviso that the sheriff carry the said John 
Connor " to the gallows, and, the rope being round his neck, it 
there being made known to him how much he was beholden to the 
Lower House for their intercession. " [History of Maryland pre- 
pared for schools, published by E. H. Butler, 1866., pp. 38, 39.] 



Section 16. 

An Act for the Suppressing the Quakers — Virginia, 1660. 

Whereas, There is an unreasonable and turbulent sort of peo- 
ple, commonly called Quakers, who, contrary to the law, do daily 
gather together unto them unlawful assemblies and congregations 
of people, teaching and publishing lies, miracles, false visions, 
prophecies and doctrines which have influence upon the commu- 
nities of men, both ecclesiastical and civil, endeavoring and attempt- 
ing thereby to destroy religion, laws, communities, and all bonds of 
civil society, leaving it arbitrary to every vain and vicious person 
whether men shall be safe, laws established, offenders punished and 
governors rule, hereby disturbing the public peace and just inter- 
est, to prevent and restrain which mischief it is enacted, that no mas- 
ter or commander of any ship or other vessel do bring into this colony 
any person or persons called Quakers, under the penalty of one 
hundred pounds sterling, to be levied upon him and his estate, by 
order from the governor and council, or the commissioners in the 
several counties where such ships shall arrive ; that all such 
Quakers as have been questioned, or shall hereafter arrive, shall 
be apprehended wheresoever they shall be found, and they be im- 
prisoned without bail or mainprise till they do abjure this country 
or put in security with all speed to depart the colony and not to 
return again ; and if any should dare to presume to return hither 
after such departure, to be proceeded against as contemners of the 
laws and magistracy, and punished accordingly, and caused again 
to depart the country; and if they should the third time be sa 
audacious and impudent as to return hither, to be proceeded 
against as felons ; that no person shall entertain any of the Qua- 
kers that have heretofore been questioned by the governor and 



RELIGION AND MORALS. 35 

council, or which shall hereafter be questioned, nor permit in or 
near his house any assemblies of Quakers, in the like penalty of 
one hundred pounds sterling ; that commissioners and officers are 
hereby required and authorized, as they will answer the contrary 
at their peril, to take notice of this act to see it fully effected and 
executed, and that no person do presume on their peril to dispose 
or publish their books, pamphlets or libels bearing the title of 
their tenets and opinions. [Hening's Statutes, i., 532, 533.] 



Section 17. 



In 1663 the Virginia House of Burgesses passed the following 
order : 

" Whereas, Mr. John Hill, high sheriff of Lower Norfolk, 
hath represented to the House that Mr. John Porter, one of the 
burgesses of that county, was loving to the Quakers and stood well 
affected towards them, and had been at their meetings, and was 
so far an Anabaptist as to be against the baptizing of children ; 
upon which representation the said Porter confessed himself to 
have [been] and be well affected to the Quakers, but conceived his 
being at their meetings could not be proved, upon which the oaths 
of allegiance and supremacy were tendered to him, which he re- 
fused to take ; whereupon it is ordered that the said Porter be dis- 
missed this house. " 



Section 18. 

Law against Quakers in Massachusetts — 1661. 

The following provisions are copied from a law of Massachu- 
setts enacted in 1661 : 

" This court being desirous to try all means, with as much len- 
ity as may consist with our own safety, to prevent the intrusion of 
the Quakers, who, besides their absurd and blasphemous doctrines, 
do, like rogues and vagabonds, come in upon us, and have not been 
restrained by the laws already provided, have ordered that every 
such vagabond Quaker, found within any part of this jurisdiction, 
shall be apprehended by any person or persons, or by the constable 



36 RELIGION AND MORALS. 

of the town wherein he or she is taken, and by the constable, or in 
his absence, by any other person or persons, conveyed before the 
next magistrate of that shire wherein they are taken, or commis- 
sioner invested with magisterial power; and being by the said 
magistrate or magistrates, commissioner or commissioners, adjudged 
to be a wandering Quaker, viz., one that hath not any dwelling, or 
orderly allowance as an inhabitant of this jurisdiction, and not giv- 
ing civil respect by the usual gestures thereof, or by any other way 
or means manifesting himself to be a Quaker, shall, by warrant 
under the hand of the said magistrate or magistrates, commissioner 
or commissioners, directed to the constable of the town wherein he 
or she is taken, or in absence of the constable, to any other meet 
person, be stripped naked from the middle upwards, and tied to a 
cart's tail and whipped through the town, and from thence imme- 
diately conveyed to the constable of the next town towards the bor- 
ders of our jurisdiction, as their warrant shall direct; and so from 
constable to constable till they be conveyed through any of the out- 
wardmost towns of our jurisdiction." * * * [Laws of Massa- 
chusetts, ed. of 1672, pp. 62, 63.] 



Section 19. 

Witchcraft in Pennsylvania — 1718. 

And be it further enacted, That another statute, made in the 
first year of the reign of King James the First, chapter 12, entitled, 
"An act against conjuration, witchcraft, and dealing with wicked and 
evil spirits/' shall be duly put in execution in this province, and of 
like force and effect as if the same were here repeated and enacted. 
[Dallas' Laws of Pennsylvania, i., 137.] This law continued in 
force in Pennsylvania till the 23d of September, 1794. [lb.] 



Section 20. 

Blasphemy in Pennsylvania — 1700. 

An act to prevent the grievous sins of cursing and swearing 
within this province and territories: And be it further enacted, 



RELIGION AND MORALS. 37 

That whosoever shall wilfully, premeditately and despitefully 
blaspheme or speak loosely and profanely of Almighty God, Christ 
Jesus, the Holy Spirit, or the Scriptures of Truth, and is legally 
convicted thereof, shall forfeit and pay the sum of ten pounds, for 
the use of the poor of the county where such offense shall be com- 
mitted, or suffer three months imprisonment at hard labor as afore- 
said, for the use of the said poor. [Dallas' Laws of Pennsylvania, 
L 11. 



Section 21. 



An Act for the more effectual suppressing of Blasphemy and Profaneness in 

Carolina*— 1703. 

" Whereas some persons have of late years openly avowed and 
published many blasphemous and infamous opinions, contrary to 
the doctrines and principles of the Christian religion, greatly tend- 
ing to the dishonor of Almighty God, and may prove destructive 
to the peace and welfare of this province : Wherefore, for the 
more effectual suppressing of the said detestable crimes, be it en- 
acted," etc., " That if any person or persons, having been educated 
in, or at any time having made profession of, the Christian religion 
within this province, shall, by writing, printing, teaching, or ad- 
vised speaking, deny any one of the persons of the Holy Trinity to 
be God, or shall assert or maintain there are more Gods than one, 
or shall deny the Christian religion to be true, or the Holy Scrip- 
tures of the Old and New Testament to be of divine authority, and 
shall, upon indictment or information in any of the courts of record 
within this part of the province, be thereof lawfully convicted by the 
oath of two or more credible witnesses, such person or persons for 
the first offense shall be adjudged incapable and disabled in law, to all 
intents and purposes whatsoever, to have or enjoy any office or offices, 
be member of the Assembly, or have or enjoy any employments, 
ecclesiastical, civil or military, or any part in them, or any profit 
or advantage appertaining to them, or any of them ; and if any 
person or persons so convicted as aforesaid shall, at the time of 
his or their conviction, enjoy or possess any office, place of trust, 

* Carolina was divided, about 1721, into North Carolina and South Carolina. 
[Statutes of South Carolina.] 



38 EELIGION AND MOKALS. 

or employment, such office, place of trust or employment shall be 
void, and is hereby declared void." A second conviction was pun- 
ishable by the infliction of other penalties, and " imprisonment for 
the space of three years, without bail or mainprise, from the time 
of such conviction." For the first offense, upon renunciation of 
the " erroneous opinions" within four months after conviction, the 
offender might be discharged from all penalties and disabilities in- 
curred by such conviction. [South Carolina Statutes, ii., 196, 197.] 



Section 22. 

An Act against Atheism and Blasphemy in Massachusetts — 1697. 

" Be it declared and enacted by the lieutenant-governor, council 
and representatives convened in General Court or Assembly, and 
it is enacted by the authority of the same, that if any person shall 
presume wilfully to blaspheme the holy name of God, Father, Son 
or Holy Ghost, either by denying, cursing or reproaching the true 
God, his creation or government of the world ; or by denying, 
cursing or reproaching the Holy Word of God, that is, the canon- 
ical scriptures contained in the books of the Old and New Testa- 
ment, namely, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, 
Joshua, Judges, Ruth, Samuel, Samuel, Kings, Kings, Chronicles, 
Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ec- 
clesiastes, the Song of Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, 
Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Na- 
hum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi; Mat- 
thew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, Corinthians, Corinthians, 
Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Thessalonians, Thes- 
salonians, Timothy, Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 
Peter, Peter, John, John, John, Jude, Revelation ; every one so 
offending shall be punished by imprisonment not exceeding six 
months, and until they find sureties for the good behavior, by set- 
ting in the pillory, by whipping, boring through the tongue with 
a red-hot iron, or setting upon the gallows with a rope about their 
neck, at the discretion of the Court of Assize and General Jail De- 
livery, before which the trial shall be, according to the circum- 
stances, which may aggravate or alleviate the offense : Provided that 



RELIGION AND MORALS. 39 

not more than two of the forementioned punishments shall be in- 
flicted for one and the same fact." [Laws of Massachusetts (Bas- 
kets ed. 1724), pp. 110, 111.] 



Section 23. 

Blasphemy in Delaware — 1741. 

"If any person shall wilfully or premeditately be guilty of blas- 
phemy, and shall thereof be legally convicted, the person so offend- 
ing shall, for every such offense, be set in the pillory for the space 
of two hours, and be branded in his or her forehead with the letter 
B, and be publicly whipped, on his or her bare back, with thirty- 
nine lashes well laid on." [Code 1741, p. 121.] 



Section 24. 

Blasphemy in Connecticut — 1750. 

i( Be it enacted by the governor, council and representatives in 
General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That 
if any person within this colony shall blaspheme the name of God, 
the Father, Son, or Holy Ghost, with direct, express, presumptu- 
ous and high-handed blasphemy, or shall curse in the like manner, 
such person shall be put to death." [Acts and Laws of Connecti- 
cut, 1750, p. 60.] 

Section 25. 

Liberty of Conscience in Maryland — 1649. 

In 1649 the assembly of the province of Maryland passed the 
following act of religious toleration : 

" Whereas, The enforcing of the conscience in matters of re- 
ligion hath frequently fallen out to be of dangerous consequence 
in those commonwealths where it hath been practiced, and for the 
more quiet and peaceable government of this province, and the 
better to preserve mutual love and unity among the inhabitants, 



40 EELIGION AND MORALS. 

no person or persons, whatsoever, within this province or the 
islands, posts, harbors, creeks or havens thereunto belonging, pro- 
fessing to believe in Jesus Christ, shall from henceforth be any 
ways troubled, molested or discountenanced, for or in respect of his 
or her religion, nor in the free exercise thereof, within this 
province or the islands thereunto belonging, nor any way com- 
pelled to the belief or exercise of any other religion against his or 
her consent, so as they be not unfaithful to the lord proprietary, or 
molest or conspire against the civil government, established, or to- 
be established, in this province under him or his heirs." 

In the year 1648 Lord Baltimore, proprietary of the province 
of Maryland, appointed Colonel William Stone his lieutenant- 
governor. " Stone was from Northampton county, Virginia, and 
was a Protestant. He was appointed on condition of bringing into 
the province five hundred colonists of British or Irish descent; 
and his oath of office required him not to trouble, molest or dis- 
countenance any one professing to believe in Jesus Christ, and, in 
particular, no Roman Catholic." [School History of Maryland,, 
pp. 29, 30; First Discourse before the Maryland Historical Soci- 
ety, pp. 15, 16.] 

" It is said that at that period (in 1649) the Protestants were 
far superior in numbers to the Catholics. The governor (Stone) 
and his councillors in that year were Protestant ; and they, with 
the burgesses, (the delegates of the people) composed the legisla- 
tive assembly. In the year 1650 the burgesses were, by a large 
majority, Protestant ; and it is supposed by Bozman (2 vol. 354) 
that the Protestant burgesses were in the majority in the assembly 
of 1649 which passed the act referred to. The Protestant popula- 
tion appears to have been largely predominant, and it is therefore 
to be inferred that such was the prevailing religious cast of the 
delegates, the burgesses, when the legislature passed the act. This 
consideration, in some degree, may affect the sectarian honors of 
the question, although we have no recorded division of senti- 
ment upon the law between the Roman Catholic and the Protest- 
ant portion of the legislature, and one spirit appears to have 
pervaded all. It is to be borne in mind, however, that the act re- 
quired and readily received the sanction of the Roman Catholic 
Lord Baltimore." [First Discourse before the Maryland Histor- 



KELIGION AND MORALS. 4£ 

ical Society, June 20, 1844, pp. 15-31; Bozman's Maryland, ii. p_ 
661 ; North American Review, vol. xxix. p. 439.] 



Section 26. 

Liberty of Conscience in Pennsylvania — 1705. 

"Almighty God, being only Lord of conscience, author of all 
divine knowledge, faith and worship, who can only enlighten the 
minds and convince the understanding of people, in due reverence 
to his sovereignty over the souls of mankind, and the better to> 
unite the queen's Christian subjects in interest and affection, be it 
enacted, that no person now, or at any time hereafter, dwelling 
or residing within this province, who shall profess faith in God the- 
Father, and in Jesus Christ, his only son, and in the Holy Spirit,, 
one God blessed forevermore, and shall acknowledge the holy scrip- 
tures of the Old and New Testament to be given by divine inspira- 
tion, and, when lawfully required, shall profess and declare that 
they will live peaceably under the civil government, shall, in any 
case, be molested or prejudiced for his or her conscientious persua- 
sion, nor shall he or she be at any time compelled to frequent or 
maintain any religious worship-place or ministry whatsoever, con- 
trary to his or her mind, but shall freely and fully enjoy his or her 
Christian liberty, in all respects, without molestation or interrup- 
tion." [Dallas' Laws of Pennsylvania, i. 43, 44.] 



Section 27. 

Liberty of Conscience in Georgia — 1732. 

Extract from the charter granted by George II. on the 9th of 
June, 1732, for the province of Georgia : 

"We do, by these presents, for us, our heirs and successors, 
grant, establish and ordain, that forever hereafter there shall be a 
liberty of conscience allowed in the worship of God, to all persons 
inhabiting, or which shall inhabit, or be resident within, our said 
province, and that all such persons, except papists, shall have a 



42 RELIGION AND MOEALS. 

free exercise of religion ; so they be contented with the quiet and 
peaceable enjoyment of the same, not giving offense or scandal to 
the government. " 

The charter was granted to a number of persons who were 
styled " The Trustees for Establishing the Colony of Georgia in 
America." 



Section 28. 

Virginia — 1651. 



In 1651 the " Grand Assembly of the Governor, Council and 
Burgesses" of Virginia agreed to submit to the government of 
Cromwell and the parliament, on certain conditions which were set 
forth in articles concluded and signed at Jamestown (James City). 
The articles contain the following paragraph : 

"Eleventh. — That the use of the book of common prayer 
shall be permitted for one year ensuing, with reference to the con- 
sent of the major part of the parishes, provided that those things 
which relate to kingship, or that government, be not used pub- 
licly, and the continuance of ministers in their places, they not 
misdemeaning themselves, and the payment of their accustomed 
dues and agreements made with them, respectively, shall be left as 
they now stand during this ensuing year." [Jefferson's Notes, 123, 
ed. 1853.] 

Section 29. 

Concerning Jesuits in Massachusetts — 1647. 

" This court taking into consideration the great wars, combus- 
tions and divisions which are this day in Europe, and that the same 
fere observed to be raised and fomented chiefly by the secret under- 
minings and solicitations of those of the Jesuitical order, men 
brought up and devoted to the religion and court of Kome, which 
hath occasioned divers states to expel them their territories, for 
prevention whereof among ourselves : 

" It is ordered and enacted by authority of this court, that no 
Jesuit or spiritual or ecclesiastical person (as they are termed) or- 



RELIGION AND MORALS. 43 

dained by the authority of the Pope or See of Rome, shall hence- 
forth at any time repair to or come within this jurisdiction ; and if 
any person shall give just cause of suspicion that he is one of such 
society or order, he shall be brought before some of the magistrates, 
and if he can not free himself of such suspicion he shall be commit- 
ted to prison or bound over to the next Court of Assistants, to be 
tried and proceeded with, by banishment or otherwise, as the court 
shall see cause. And if any person so banished be taken the sec- 
ond time within this jurisdiction, upon lawful trial and conviction, 
he shall be put to death : Provided this law shall not extend to 
any such Jesuit, spiritual or ecclesiastical person as shall be cast 
upon our shores by shipwreck or other accident, so as he continue 
no longer than till he may have opportunity of passage for his de- 
parture ; nor to any such as shall come in company with any mes- 
senger hither upon public occasions, or merchant, or master of any 
ship belonging to any place not in enmity with the state of Eng- 
land or ourselves, so as they depart again with the same messen- 
ger, master or merchant, and behave themselves inoffensively dur- 
ing their abode here." [Laws of Massachusetts (ed. 1672), p. 67.] 



Section 30. 

Preamble to certain Orders of the General Court of Massachusetts — 1675. 

" Whereas, the most wise and holy God for several years past 
hath not only warned us by his word, but chastised us with his 
rods, inflicting upon us many general (though lesser) judgments, 
but we have neither heard the word nor rod as we ought, so as to 
be effectually humbled for our sins to repent of them, reform and 
amend our ways ; hence it is the righteous God hath heightened 
our calamity and given commission to the barbarous heathen to 
rise up against us, and to become a smart rod and severe scourge 
to us in burning and depopulating several hopeful plantations, 
murdering many of our people of all sorts, and seeming, as it were, 
to cast us off, and putting us to shame, and not going forth with 
our armies, hereby speaking aloud to us to search and try our 
ways and turn again unto the Lord our God from whom we have 



44 EELIGION AND MOEALS. 

departed with a great backsliding." [Laws of Massachusetts,. 
1675, p. 32.] 



Section 31. 

Liberty of Conscience in Massachusetts — 1696. 

The charter of the province of Massachusetts Bay in New Eng- 
land, granted by William and Mary on the third day of October, 
in the seventh year of their reign, contains the following passage, 
viz: " We do, by these presents, grant, establish and ordain, that 
forever hereafter there shall be a liberty of conscience allowed in 
the worship of God to all Christians (except papists) inhabiting or 
which shall inhabit or be resident within our said province or ter- 
ritory." 

The oaths of allegiance and supremacy, under William and 
Mary, were in the words following : "I, A. B., do sincerely prom- 
ise and swear, that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to 
their majesties King William and Queen Mary : So help me God." 
" I, A. B., do swear that I do from my heart abhor, detest and ab- 
jure, as impious and heretical, that damnable doctrine and posi- 
tion, that princes excommunicated or deprived by the Pope, or 
any authority of the See of Rome, may be deposed or murdered by 
their subjects, or any other whatsoever. And I do declare, that 
no foreign prince, person, prelate, state or potentate hath, or ought 
to have, any jurisdiction, power, superiority, pre-eminence, or au- 
thority, ecclesiastical or spiritual, within this realm: So help me 
God." [1 William and Mary, 1689; Statutes of South Carolina, L 
126, 127.] 

Section 32. 

The Christian Sabbath in Massachusetts — 1760. 

" Whereas, by reason of different constructions of the several 
laws now in force, relating to the observation of the Lord's Day, 
or Christian Sabbath, the said laws have not been duly executed ; 
and notwithstanding the pious intentions of the legislators, the 
Lord's Day hath been greatly and frequently profaned : Where- 
fore, * * * 



RELIGION AND MORALS. 45 

u Be it further enacted, that no traveler, drover, horse-courier, 
wagoner, butcher, higgler, or any of* their servants, shall travel on 
the Lord's Day, or any part thereof, except by some adversity they 
shall have been belated and forced to lodge in the woods, wilder- 
ness or highways the night before (and in such case it shall be law- 
ful to travel no further on the Lord's Day than to the next inn or 
house for entertainment of travelers), upon the penalty of a sum 
not exceeding twenty shillings nor less than ten shillings. 

"And be it further enacted, that if any person or persons shall 
be recreating, disporting, or unnecessarily walking or loitering, or 
i£ any persons shall unnecessarily assemble themselves in any of 
the streets, lanes, wharves, highways, commons, fields, pastures or 
orchards of any town or place within this province upon the Lord's 
Day, or any part thereof, every person so offending shall forfeit 
and pay the sum of five shillings, and upon every conviction after 
the first shall be bound to their good behavior. 

"And be it further enacted, that if any person, being able of 
body, and not otherwise necessarily prevented, shall for the space 
-of one month together absent themselves from the public worship 
of God on the Lord's Day, they shall forfeit and pay the sum of 
ten shillings : Provided always, that if upon trial it shall appear 
that any person so charged had good and sufficient excuse for their 
absence, such person shall be dismissed without costs." [Acts and 
Laws of Massachusetts (printed at Boston by S. Kneeland), pp. 
392, 393.] 

Section 33. 

Preamble to "An Act to Incorporate Certain Persons by the Name of the Society 
for Propagating Christian Knowledge among the Indians of North America." — 
Massachusetts, 1761. 

" The signal success with which it hath pleased Almighty God 
to crown his majesty's arms calls upon us to express our grateful 
-acknowledgments to the Author of it, and to demonstrate our grat- 
itude by endeavoring to spread the knowledge of his religion; a 
favorable opportunity of doing this among the Indians of America 
seems now to present itself, as the French of Canada, being sub- 
jected to his majesty's dominion, have it less in their power to ob- 



46 KELIGION AND MOKALS. 

struct so good a work ; for the promoting of which divers worthy 
persons have petitioned this court for an act of incorporation 7 
whereby they may be enabled, with the assistance of the charitably 
disposed, to proceed in it with vigor and carry it more effectively 
into execution." [Laws and Acts of Massachusetts (Kneeland's- 
ed.) p. 419.] 



Section 34. 

An Act against Jesuits and Popish Priests in New York. Passed July 31, 1700. 

Whereas, divers Jesuits, priests, and popish missionaries have 
of late come, and for some time have had their residence in the 
remote parts of this province, and other of his majesty's adjacent 
colonies, who, by their wicked and subtle insinuations, indus- 
triously labor to debauch, seduce, and withdraw the Indians from 
their due obedience unto his most sacred majesty, and to excite 
and stir them up to sedition, rebellion, and open hostility against 
his majesty's government; for prevention whereof, be it enacted 
by his excellency the governor, council, and representatives, con- 
vened in General Assembly, and it is hereby enacted by the author- 
ity of the same, that all and every Jesuit and seminary priest, 
missionary, or other spiritual or ecclesiastical person, made or or- 
dained by any authority, power, or jurisdiction, derived, challenged, 
or pretended, from the Pope or See of Rome, now residing within 
this province, or any part thereof, shall depart from and out of the 
same, at or before the first day of November next, in the present 
year seventeen hundred. 

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that all 
and every Jesuit, seminary priest, missionary, or other spiritual or 
ecclesiastical person, made or ordained by any authority, power, or 
jurisdiction, derived, challenged, or pretended, from the Pope or 
See of Rome, or that shall profess himself, or otherwise appear to 
be such, by preaching, and teaching of others to say any popish 
prayers, by celebrating masses, granting of absolutions, or using 
any other of the Romish ceremonies and rites of worship, by what 
name, title, or degree soever, such person shall be called or known, 
who shall continue, abide, remain, or come into this province, or 
any part thereof, after the first day of November aforesaid, shall be 



RELIGION AND MORAL*.. 47 

deemed and accounted an incendiary and disturber of the public 
peace and safety, and an enemy to the true Christian religion, and. 
shall be adjudged to suffer perpetual imprisonment; and if any per- 
son, being so sentenced, and actually imprisoned, shall break prison 
and make his escape, and be afterwards retaken, he shall suffer 
such pains of death, penalties and forfeitures, as in cases of felony. 
[ Laws of New York (published according to act of General As- 
sembly, 1752), p. 37, 38.] 



Section 35. 

Perjury, Witchcraft, etc., in New Jersey — 1668. 

" If any person or persons shall willingly and maliciously rise 
up to bear false witness, or purpose to take away a man's life, they 
shall be put to death." 

" If any person be found to be a witch, either male or female, 
they shall be put to death." 

a If any child or children, above sixteen years of age, and of 
sufficient understanding, shall smite or curse their natural father or 
mother, except provoked thereunto, and forced for their safe pres- 
ervation from death or maiming, upon the complaint or proof of 
the said father or mother, or either of them (and not otherwise),. 
they shall be put to death." [ Learning & Spicer's Laws of New 
Jersey, pp. 78, 79, 80.] 



Section 36. 

Freedom of Conscience in New Jersey — 1698. 

" That no person or persons that profess faith in God, by Jesus 
Christ his only Son, shall not (?) at any time be any way molested, 
punished, disturbed, or be called in question for any difference in 
opinion in matters of religious concernment, who do not under that 
pretense disturb the civil peace of this province, or use this liberty 
to licentiousness : Provided, this shall not extend to any of the 
Romish religion, to exercise their manner of worship contrary to 
the laws and statutes of his majesty's realm of England : Provided 



48 RELIGION AND MOEALS. 

always, that this act, or anything therein contained, shall not in- 
fringe the liberty or privilege of any grant or charter already grant- 
ed." [Learning & Spicer's Laws of New Jersey, p. 372.] 



Section 37. 

From Queen Anne's Instructions to Lord Cornbury — New Jersey, 1702. 

"And, whereas, the inhabitants of our said province of [New 
Jersey] have of late years been, unhappily, divided, and by their 
enmity to each other our service and their own welfare has been 
v r ery much obstructed, you are, therefore, in the execution of our 
•commission, to avoid the engaging yourself in the parties which 
Ihave been formed amongst them, and to use such impartiality and 
moderation to all as may best conduce to our service and the good 
of the colony." * * * 

"And in the choice and nomination of the members of our said 
council, as also of the principal officers, judges, assistants, justices 
and sheriffs, you are always to take care that they be men of good 
life and well affected to our government, of good estates and abili- 
ties, and not necessitous people or much in debt." * * * 

"You are to permit a liberty of conscience to all persons (ex- 
cept papists), so they may be contented with a quiet and peaceable 
enjoyment of the same, not giving offense or scandal to the gov- 
ernment." * * * 

"And, whereas, we have been farther informed that in the first 
settlement of the government of our said province it may so hap- 
pen that the number of inhabitants fitly qualified to serve in our 
council in the General Assembly, and in other places of trust or 
profit there, will be but small, it is therefore our will and pleasure 
that such of the said people called Quakers as shall be found capable 
of any of those places or employments, and accordingly be elect- 
ed or appointed to serve therein, may, upon their taking and sign- 
ing the declaration of allegiance to us in the form used by the same 
people here in England, together with a solemn declaration for the 
true discharge of their respective trusts, be admitted by you into 
any of the said places of employment." * * * 

"You shall take especial care that God Almighty be devoutly 



KELIGION AND MORALS. 49 

and duly served throughout your government, the book of com- 
mon prayer, as by law established, read each Sunday and holy day, 
and the blessed sacrament administered according to the rites of 
the Church of England." * * * 

"You shall endeavor to get a law passed for the restraining of 
any inhuman severity which, by ill masters or overseers, may be 
used towards their Christian servants and their slaves." * * * 

"You are also, with the assistance of the General Assembly, to 
find out the best means to facilitate and encourage the conversion 
of negroes and Indians to the Christian religion." [Learning & 
Spicer's Laws of New Jersey, pp. 621-642.] 



Section 38. 

Sabbath— New Jersey, 1677. 

"And all constables are hereby required, if upon their own 
knowledge they shall be privy to any such disorders [on Sunday] 
by sight or information thereof, to repair to the said place, and, 
finding any person or persons misbehaving themselves, namely, 
staggering, reeling, drinking, cursing, swearing, quarreling or 
singing any vain songs, or tunes of the same, shall cause the said 
person or persons so offending to be set in the stocks for two whole 
hours without relief." [Learning & Spicer's Laws of New Jersey, 
P. 124.] 

Section 39. 

Liberty of Conscience in New Hampshire — 1680. 

Extract from the commission granted by Charles II. to John 
Cutts, president of the council for the province of New Hampshire: 

" And above all things, we do by these presents, will, require 
and command, our council to take all possible care for the discoun- 
tenance of vice and encouragement of virtue and good living, that 
by such examples the infidels may be invited and desire to partake 
of the Christian religion. And for the greater ease and satisfaction 
of our said loving subjects in matters of religion, we do hereby will, 
4 



50 KELIGION AND MOEALS. 

require and command, that liberty of conscience shall be allowed 
unto all Protestants, and that such especially as shall be conform- 
able to the rites of the Church of England shall be particularly 
countenanced and encouraged. " [Laws of New Hampshire, p. 4.] 



Section 40. 

Liberty of Conscience in Carolina — 1697. 

" Whereas, several of the present inhabitants of this country did 
transport themselves into this province, in hopes of enjoying the 
liberty of their consciences according to their own persuasion, which 
the royal king, Charles the Second, of blessed memory, in his gra- 
cious charter, was pleased to empower the lords proprietors of this 
province to grant to the inhabitants of this province for to encour- 
age the settlement of the same; be it therefore enacted, by the au- 
thority aforesaid, that all Christians which now are, or hereafter 
may be in this province, (papists only excepted) shall enjoy the 
full, free, and undisturbed liberty of their consciences, so as to be 
in the exercise of their worship according to the professed rules of 
their religion, without any let, molestation, or hindrance by any 
power either ecclesiastical or civil : Always provided, that they do 
not disturb the public peace of this province, nor disturb any other 
in the time of their worship. " [Statutes of South Carolina, ii. 133.] 



Section 41. 

Citizens to go Armed to Church — South Carolina, 1743. 

" Whereas, it is necessary to make some further provisions for 
securing the inhabitants of this province against the insurrections 
and other wicked attempts of negroes and other slaves within the 
same, we therefore humbly pray his most sacred majesty that it 
may be enacted, and be it enacted by the Hon. William Bull, Esq., 
lieutenant-governor and commander-in-chief in and over his maj- 
esty's province of South Carolina, by and with the advice and con- 
sent of his majesty's honorable Council, and the Commons House 



KELIGION AND MOEALS. 51 

of Assembly of this province, and by the authority of the same, 
that within three months from the time of passing this act every 
white male inhabitant of this province (except travelers and such 
persons as shall be above sixty years of age) who, by the laws of 
this province, is or shall be liable to bear arms in the militia of 
this province, either in times of alarm or at common musters, who 
shall, on any Sunday or Christmas day in the year, go and resort 
to any church or any other place of divine worship within this 
province, and shall not carry with him a gun or a pair of horse- 
pistols, in good order and fit for service, with at least six charges 
of gunpowder and ball, and shall not carry the same into the 
church or other place of divine worship as aforesaid, every such 
person shall forfeit and pay the sum of twenty shillings, current 
money, for every neglect of the same, the one-half thereof to the 
church-wardens of the respective parish in which the offense shall 
be committed, for the use of the poor of the said parish, and the 
other half to him or them who will inform for the same, to be re- 
covered on oath before any of his majesty's justices of the peace 
within this province in the same way and manner that debts under 
twenty pounds are directed to be recovered by the act for the trial 
of small and mean causes." [Act of May 7, 1743, Statutes of 
South Carolina, vii. 417.] 



Section 42. 

Against Mercenary Attorneys — Virginia, 1658. 

Whereas, there doth much charge and trouble arise by the ad- 
mittance of attorneys and lawyers through pleading of causes 
thereby to maintain suits in law, to the great prejudice and charge 
of the inhabitants of this colony, for prevention thereof, be it en- 
acted by the authority of this present Grand Assembly, that no 
person or persons whatsoever within this colony, either lawyers or 
any other, shall plead in any court of judicature within this colony, 
or give counsel in any cause or controversy whatsoever, for any 
kind of profit or reward whatsoever, either directly or indirectly, 
upon the penalty of five thousand pounds of tobacco upon every 
breach thereof. And because the breakers thereof, through their 



52 EELIGION AND MORALS. 

subtlety can not easily be discerned, be it therefore further enacted, 
that every one pleading as an attorney to any other person or per- 
sons, if either plaintiff or defendant desire it, shall make oath that 
he neither directly or indirectly is a breaker of the act aforesaid. 
[Hening's Statutes, i. 482, 483.] 



Section 43. 

Divulgers of False News — Virginia, 1662. 

Whereas, many idle and busy-headed people do forge and di- 
vulge false rumors and reports, to the great disturbance of the 
peace and quiet of his majesty's liege persons in this colony, be it 
enacted, that what person or persons soever shall forge and divulge 
any such false reports tending to the trouble of the country, shall 
be by the next justice of the peace sent for and bound over to the 
next county court, where, if he produce not his author, he shall be 
fined two thousand pounds of tobacco (or less, if the court thinks 
fit to lessen it), and besides give bond for his behavior if it appears 
to the court that he did maliciously publish it or invent it. [Hen- 
ing's Statutes, ii. 109.] 



Section 43. 

Witnesses — Virginia, 1705. 

That popish recusants convict, negroes, mulattoes ,and Indian 
servants, and others, not being Christians, shall be deemed and 
taken to be persons incapable in law to be witnesses in any cases 
whatsoever. [Hening's Statutes, iii. 298.] 



Section 45. 

Freedom of Conscience in Rhode Island. 



Extract from the charter granted by Charles II. on the 8th day 
of July, in the fifteenth year of his reign : 

"Our royal will and pleasure is, that no person within the said 



EELIGION AND MOKALS. 53 

colony, at any time hereafter, shall be in anywise molested, pun- 
ished, disquieted or called in question for any difference in opinion 
in matters of religion, and do not actually disturb the civil peace 
of our said colony; but that all and every person and persons may, 
from time to time, and at all times hereafter, freely and fully have 
and enjoy his and their own judgments and consciences in matters 
of religious concernments, throughout the tract of land hereafter 
mentioned, they behaving themselves peaceably and quietly, and 
not using this liberty to licentiousness and profaneness, nor to the 
civil injury or outward disturbance. " 

The charter required the company "to direct, rule, order and 
dispose of all other matters and things, and particularly that which 
relates to the making of purchases of the native Indians, as to them 
shall seem meet ; whereby our said people and inhabitants in the 
said plantations may be so religiously, peaceably and civilly gov- 
erned, as that, by their good life and orderly conversation, they 
may win and invite the native Indians of the country to the knowl- 
edge of the only true God and Savior of mankind." [Public Laws 
of Rhode Island, pp. 5-10.] 



Section 46. 

Ministers and Preachers — New Jersey, 1674. 

"It shall be in the power of the governor and council to ap- 
prove such ministers and preachers as shall be nominated and 
chosen by the several corporations, without the General Assembly, 
and to establish their maintenance, giving liberty besides to any 
person or persons to keep and maintain what preachers or min- 
isters they please." [Learning & Spicer's Laws of New Jersey, 
P. 55.] 

Section 47. 

Lord's Day — New Jersey, 1675. 

It is further enacted by this Assembly that whosoever shall 
profane the Lord's Day, otherwise called Sunday, by any kind of 



54 EELIGION AND MOEALS. 

servile work, unlawful recreations or unnecessary travels on that 
day not falling within the compass of works of mercy or necessity, 
either wilfully or through careless neglect, shall be punished by 
fine, imprisonment or corporally, according to the nature of the 
offense, at the judgment of the court, justice or justices where the 
offense is committed. [Learning & Spicer's Laws of New Jersey, 
P- 98-3 

Section 48. 

Thanksgiving Day — New Jersey, 1676. 

Whereas, there hath been signal demonstration of God's mercy 
and favor towards us in this colony, in the preserving and continu- 
ing our peace in the midst of wars round about us, together with 
many other mercies which we are sensible of, which call aloud for 
our acknowledgment and thanksgiving to the Lord ; wherefore, be 
it enacted by this assembly, that there be a day of public thanks- 
giving set apart throughout the whole province, to give God the 
the glory and praise thereof, and oblige us to live to his praise and 
in his fear always, which day shall be the second Wednesday in 
November next ensuing. [Learning & Spicer's Laws of New Jer- 
sey, p. 121, 122.] 

Section 49. 

Lord's Day, or Sunday — Carolina, 1691. 

Preamble to "An act for the better observance of the Lord's 
Day, commonly called Sunday " : 

" Forasmuch as there is nothing more acceptable to Almighty- 
God than the true, sincere performance of and obedience to the 
most divine service and worship, which, although at all times, yet 
chiefly upon the Lord's Day, commonly called Sunday, ought so to 
be done, but instead thereof many idle, loose and disorderly people 
do wilfully profane the same in tippling, shooting, gaming, and 
many other exercises, pastimes and meetings, whereby ignorance 
prevails and the just judgment of Almighty God may reasonably 
be expected to fall upon this land if the same by some good orders 
be not prevented." 



RELIGION AND MORALS. 55 

By the provisions of this act it is enacted, "That no tradesman, 
artificer, workman, laborer, or any other person whatsoever, shall 
use or exercise any worldly labor, business or work of their ordi- 
nary calling on the Lord's Day or any part thereof (works of ne- 
cessity or charity only excepted) ; and that every person being of 
sixteen years or upwards offending in the premises, shall, for every 
such offense, forfeit the sum of five shillings for each person every 
day. And that no person or persons whatsoever shall publicly cry, 
shew forth or expose to sale or sell any wares, merchandise, fruits, 
herbs, goods or chattels whatsoever, upon the Lord's Day or any 
part thereof, upon pain every person so offending shall forfeit the 
said goods so cried and shown forth or exposed to sale or sold." 
In case of the default or inability of offending persons to pay such 
fines or forfeitures, " then the party offending do set publicly in 
the stocks for the space of two hours." [Statutes of South Caro- 
lina, ii. 70, 71. 

Section 50. 

Carolina, 1669. 

" No man shall be permitted to be a freeman of Carolina, or to 
have any estate or habitation within it, that doth not acknowledge 
a God, and that God is publicly and solemnly to be worshiped." 
[Locke's Constitution ; Statutes of South Carolina, i. 53.] 



Section 51. 

Sabbath Day— Virginia, 1629. 

It is ordered that there be especial care taken by all command- 
ers and others that the people do repair to their churches on the 
Sabbath day, and to see that the penalty of one pound of tobacco 
for every time of absence, and fifty pounds for every month's ab- 
sence, set down in the act of the General Assembly, 1623, be lev- 
ied and the delinquents to pay the same, as also to see that the 
Sabbath day be not ordinarily profaned by working in any employ- 
ments or by journeying from place to place. [Hening's Statutes, 
i. 144.] 



56 RELIGION AND MOKALS. 

Section 52. 

Oath of Church Wardens— Virginia, 1632. 

You shall swear that you shall make presentments of all such 
persons as shall lead a profane or ungodly life, of such as shall be 
common swearers, drunkards or blasphemers, that shall ordinarily 
profane the Sabbath days or contemn God's holy word or sacra- 
ments. You shall also present all adulterers or fornicators, or 
such as shall abuse their neighbors by slandering, tale-carrying or 
backbiting, or that shall not behave themselves orderly and soberly 
in the church during divine service. Likewise they shall present 
such masters and mistresses as shall be delinquent in the catechis- 
ing the youth and ignorant persons : So help you God ! [Hen- 
ing's Statutes, i. 156. 



Section 52. 

Ministers to Teach Children and Visit the Sick — Virginia, 1632. 

Upon every Sunday the minister shall have an hour or more 
before evening prayer to examine, catechise and instruct the youth 
and ignorant persons of his parish in the ten commandments, the 
articles of belief, and in the Lord's Prayer ; and shall diligently 
hear, instruct and teach the catechism set forth in the book of 
common prayer; and all fathers, mothers, masters and mistresses 
shall cause their children, servants or apprentices which have 
not learned the catechism to come to the church at the time 
appointed, obediently to hear and to be ordered by the minister 
until they have learned the same ; and if any of the said fathers, 
mothers, masters and mistresses, children, servants or apprentices, 
shall neglect their duties as the one sort in not causing them to 
come, and the other in refusing to learn, as aforesaid, they shall be 
censured by the courts in those places holden. And this act to 
take beginning at Easter next. 

When any person is dangerously sick in any parish, the minister 
having knowledge thereof, shall resort unto him or her to instruct 
and comfort them in their distress. [Hening's Statutes, i. 157, 158.] 



RELIGION AND MORALS. 57 

Section 54. 

Church or Chapel of Ease to be Built— Virginia, 1662. 

Be it enacted for the advancement of God's glory and the more 
decent celebration of his divine ordinances, that there be a church 
decently built in each parish of this country, unless any parish as 
now settled by reason of the fewness or poverty of the inhabitants 
be incapable of sustaining so great a charge, in which case it is en- 
acted that such parishes shall be joined to the next great parish of 
the same county, and that a chapel of ease be built in such places 
at the particular charge of that place. [Hening's Statutes, ii. 44.] 



Section 55. 

Quakers and Popish Recusants in North Carolina — 1762. 

Be it therefore enacted, by the governor, council, and assembly, 
and by the authority of the same, that where any person hath, or 
shall have, any child or children under the age of twenty-one years, 
and not married, it shall and may be lawful to and for the father of 
such child or children, by deed executed in his lifetime, or by his 
last will and testament in writing, in such manner, and from time 
to time as he shall think fit, to dispose of the custody and tuition of 
such child or children for and during such time as he, she or they 
shall remain under the age of twenty-one years, or for any less time, 
to any person or persons other than the people called Quakers, and 
popish recusants : * * * Provided, nevertheless, that noth- 
ing in this act contained shall be construed to hinder any of the 
people commonly called Quakers to make such disposition, or to 
hinder the superior or inferior courts from committing the guard- 
ianship and custody of their children to the people of that persua- 
sion ; and that every person or persons to whom such tuition and 
custody hath been, or shall be so disposed or devised as aforesaid, 
shall and may take into his or their possession, for the use of such 
child or children, the profits of all lands, tenements, and heredita- 
ments ; and also the slaves, goods, and chattels, and personal estate 
of such child or children, and may bring such action or actions in 



58 EELIGION AND MOKALS. 

relation thereunto, as by law a guardian in common soccage might 
do. [Martin's Laws of North Carolina, ii. 141, 142.] 



Section 56. 

Sabbath-breakers — Maryland, 1723. 

And be it enacted, that no person whatsoever shall work or do 
any bodily labor on the Lord's Day, commonly called Sunday, and 
that no person, having children, servants, or slaves, shall wittingly 
or willingly suffer any of them to do any manner of work or labor 
on the Lord's Day (works of charity always excepted), nor shall suf- 
fer or permit children, servants, or slaves, to profane the Lord's 
day, by gaming, fishing fowling, hunting, or unlawful pastimes or 
recreation, and that every person transgressing this act, and being 
thereof convict, by the oath of one sufficient witness, or confession 
of the party before a single magistrate, shall forfeit two hundred 
pounds of tobacco, to be levied and applied as aforesaid. [Maxcy's 
Laws of Maryland, i. 171.] 



Section 57. 

Lands for the Support of Eeligion — Maryland, 1722. 

"Whereas, for a considerable time (from the first settlement of 
this province) there were few or no ministers to dispense the word 
and sacraments, that the country was in an unsettled condition as 
to religion, and few or no parishes erected during that time ; and, 
whereas, several pious and well disposed persons, for promoting 
the Protestant religion, and for encouragement of ministers, have 
given or devised several parcels of land for that use, but that 
notwithstanding, the good intent of several of the devisors have 
been frustrated through the negligence or unskillfulness of the 
writers of wills, which is a great injury to the church, and has and 
may be a discouragement to persons charitably inclined to give 
any lands for glebes where they are wanted, as they are in many 
parishes, which makes the incumbent unsettled and reduces him to 
straits as to his residence ; for remedy whereof for the future, 



KELIGION AND MOKALS. 59 

Be it enacted, by the right honorable the lord proprietary, 
by and with the advice and consent of his lordship's governor, and 
the upper and lower houses of Assembly, and the authority of 
the same, that any person or persons, being of sound and disposing 
mind and memory, that have heretofore devised, or shall hereafter 
devise any lands or tenements to the use of any church or chapel 
within this province, or for support or maintenance of the clergy 
or ministry of the Church of England, as by law established, or to 
the use of the church, or support of the Protestant religion in gen- 
eral, without particularly mentioning to what church, chapel or 
person, shall be good and effectual in law, notwithstanding such 
omission, or the ambiguity or uncertainty in the wording of any 
will, if the intent of the testator can be reasonably collected from 
the words of the will. [Maxcy's Laws of Maryland, i. 158.] 



Section 58. 

Guns to be Carrried to Church — Virginia, 1643. 

It is enacted and confirmed, that masters of every family shall 
bring with them to church on Sundays one fixed and serviceable 
gun, with sufficient powder and shot, upon penalty of ten pounds of 
tobacco for every master of a family so offending, to be disposed of 
by the church wardens, who shall levy it by distress, and servants 
being commanded and yet omitting, shall receive twenty lashes on 
his or their bare shoulders, by order from the county courts where 
he or they shall live. [Hening's Statutes, i. 263.] 



Section 59. 

Popish Eecusants and Popish Priests— Virginia, 1643. 

Whereas, it was enacted at an assembly in January, 1641, that 
according to a statute made in the third year of the reign of our 
sovereign lord King James of blessed memory, that no popish re- 
cusants should at any time hereafter exercise the place or places of 
secret counselors, register, commissioners, surveyors or sheriff, or 



60 RELIGION AND MORALS. 

any other public place, but be utterly disabled for the same. And 
further it was enacted that none should be admitted into any of the 
aforesaid offices or places before he or they had taken the oath of 
allegiance and supremacy. And if any person or persons whatso- 
ever should, by sinister or corrupt means, assume to himself any 
of the aforesaid places or any other public office whatsoever, and 
refuse to take the aforesaid oaths, he or they so convicted before 
an assembly should be dismissed of his said office, and for his of- 
fense therein forfeit one thousand pounds of tobacco, to be disposed 
of at the next assembly after conviction. And it is further en- 
acted by the authority aforesaid, that the statute in force against 
the popish recusants be duly executed in this government, and that 
it should not be lawful, under the penalty aforesaid, for any popish 
priest that shall hereafter arrive to remain above five days after 
warning given for his departure by the governor or commander of 
the place where he or they shall be, if wind and weather hinder 
not his departure. And that the said act should be in force ten 
days after the publication thereof, at James City, this present 
Grand Assembly to all intents and purposes doth hereby confirm 
the same. [Hening's Statutes, i. 268.] 



Section 60. 

Against Persons that Refuse to have their Children Baptised — Virginia, 1662. 

Whereas, many schismatical persons, out of their averseness to 
the orthodox established religion, or out of the new-fangled con- 
ceits of their own heretical inventions, refuse to have their chil- 
dren baptised, be it therefore enacted by the authority aforesaid, 
that all persons that, in contempt of the divine sacrament of bap- 
tism, shall refuse when they may carry their child to a lawful min- 
ister in that county to have them baptised, shall be amerced two 
thousand pounds of tobacco, half to the informer, half to the pub- 
lic. [Hening's Statutes, ii. 165, 166.] 



RELIGION AND MORALS. 61 

Section 61. 

Maryland, 1632. 

The charter by which Maryland was granted to Csecilius Cal- 
vert, Baron of Baltimore, by Charles I. of England, in the eighth 
year of his reign, contains the following passages: 

" Whereas, our well beloved and right trusty subject, Cseeilius 
Calvert, Baron of Baltimore, in our kingdom of Ireland, son and 
heir of George Calvert, knight, late Baron of Baltimore, in our said 
kingdom of Ireland, treading in the steps of his father, being ani- 
mated with a laudable and pious zeal for extending the Christian 
religion, and also the territories of our empire, hath humbly be- 
sought leave of us, that he may transport, by his own industry and 
expense, a numerous colony of the. English nation, to a certain re- 
gion, hereinafter described, in a country hitherto uncultivated, in 
the parts of America, and partly occupied by savages, having no 
knowledge of the Divine Being, and that all that region, with some 
certain privileges and jurisdictions appertaining unto the wholesome 
government and state of his colony and region aforesaid, may by our 
royal highness be given, granted, and confirmed unto him and his 
heirs." 

" But because, that in so remote a region, placed among so many 
barbarous nations, the incursions as well of the barbarians them- 
selves as of other enemies, pirates and ravagers, probably will be 
feared, therefore we have given, and for us, our heirs and succes- 
sors do give by these presents, as full and unrestrained power as 
any captain-general of an army ever hath had, unto the aforesaid 
now Baron of Baltimore, and to his heirs and assigns, by them- 
selves, or by their captains or other officers, to summon to their 
standards and to array all men, of whatsoever condition, or whereso- 
ever born, for the time being in the said province of Maryland, to 
wage war, and to pursue, even beyond the limits of their province, 
the enemies and ravagers aforesaid, infesting those parts by land 
and by sea, and (if God shall grant it) to vanquish and captivate 
them, and the captives to put to death, or, according to their discre- 
tion, to save, and to do all other and singular the things which ap- 
pertain, or have been accustomed to appertain, unto the authority 
and office of a captain-general of an army." 



62 EELIGION AND MOEALS. 

"And, if peradventure, hereafter it may happen that any doubts 
or questions should arise concerning the true sense and meaning of 
any word, clause, or sentence, contained in this our present charter, 
we will, charge, and command, that interpretation to be applied 
always, and in all things, and in all our courts and judicatories 
whatsoever, to obtain which shall be judged to be the more benefi- 
cial, profitable and favorable to the aforesaid now Baron of Balti- 
more, his heirs and assigns : Provided always, that no interpreta- 
tion thereof be made, whereby God's holy and true Christian 
religion, or the allegiance due to us, our heirs and successors, may 
in anywise suffer by change, prejudice, or diminution." [Maxcy's 
Laws of Maryland, i. pp. 1, 6, 10.] 



Section 62. 

Horse-Stealing — South Carolina, 1768. 

" From and immediately after the passing of this act, all and 
every person and persons who shall be indicted and found guilty 
of stealing any horse, mare, gelding, colt or filly, shall, for the first 
offense, be punished with the loss of an ear, and be publicly 
whipped, not exceeding thirty-nine lashes, on the bare back ; and 
for the second offense shall be adjudged and deemed guilty of fel- 
ony, and shall suffer death without the benefit of the clergy." 
[Statutes of South Carolina, iv. 284.] 



Section 63. 

Horse-Stealing— Maryland, 1744. 

All and every person and persons who shall hereafter feloni- 
ously take or steal any horse or horses, mare or mares, gelding or 
geldings, colt or colts, within this province, and all aiders, abettors 
and accessories, either before or after the fact, of any such takers 
or stealers, and all and every person or persons who shall buy, 
take or receive any stolen horse, mare, gelding or colt, knowing 
the same to be feloniously taken or stolen, and shall be thereof 
convicted, by confession or verdict, or be outlawed, or will not 



KELIGION AND MOKALS. 63 

upon arraignment answer directly according to law, or shall wil- 
fully and of malice stand mute, or shall peremptorily challenge 
above twenty, shall for every such offense or offenses as aforesaid 
suffer death as a felon, without benefit of clergy. [Maxcy's Laws 
of Maryland, i. 217.] 



Section 64. 

Negro, Mulatto, or Indian Witnesses — Virginia, 1723. 

And to the end such negroes, mulattoes or Indians, not being 
Christians, as shall hereafter be produced as evidences, on the trial 
of any slave for capital crimes, may be under the greater obliga- 
tion to declare the truth, be it enacted, that where any such negro, 
mulatto or Indian shall, upon due proof made, or pregnant circum- 
stances appearing before any county court within this colony, be 
found to have given a false testimony, every such offender shall, 
without further trial, be ordered by the said court to have one ear 
nailed to the pillory, and there to stand for the space of one hour, 
and then the said ear to be cut off; and thereafter, the other ear 
nailed in like manner, and cut off at the expiration of one other 
hour; and moreover, to order every such offender thirty-nine 
lashes, well laid on, on his or her bare back, at the common whip- 
ping-post. And be it further enacted, that at every such trial of 
slaves committing capital offenses, the person who shall be first 
named in the commission sitting on such trial, shall, before the ex- 
amination of every negro, mulatto or Indian, not being a Chris- 
tian, charge such evidence to declare the truth ; which charge shall 
be in words following, viz : "You are brought hither as a witness, 
and, by the direction of the law, I am to tell you, before you give 
your evidence, that you must tell the truth, the whole truth, and 
nothing but the truth ; and that if it be found hereafter that you 
tell a lie and give false testimony in this matter, you must, for so 
doing, have both your ears nailed to the pillory, and cut off, and 
receive thirty-nine lashes on your bare back, well laid on, at the 
common whipping-post." [Hening's Statutes, iv. 127, 128.] 



64 RELIGION AND MORALS. 

Section 65. 

Adultery — Connecticut, 1673. 

" It is ordered by this court and the authority thereof, that 
whosoever shall commit adultery with a married woman, or one 
betrothed to another man, both of them shall be severely punished 
by whipping on the naked body, and stigmated or burnt on the 
forehead with the letter A on a hot iron, and he or she shall wear 
a halter about his or her neck on the outside of their garments dur- 
ing his or her abode in this colony, so as it may be visible ; and as 
often as he or she shall be found without their halter, worn as 
aforesaid, they shall, upon information and proof of the same, 
made before any assistant or commissioner, be by them ordered to 
be whipped." [Brinley's Laws of Connecticut, p. 3 (edition of 
1673 reprinted); see edition of 1750.] 



Section 6Q. 

Burglary and Robbery — Connecticut, 1750. 

Be it enacted by the governor, council and representatives in 
general court assembled, and by the authority of the same, that 
whosoever shall commit burglary by breaking up any dwelling 
house or shop wherein goods, wares and merchandises are kept, or 
shall rob any person in the field or highway, such person so offend- 
ing shall, for the first offense, be branded on the forehead with the 
capital letter B, on a hot iron, and have one of his ears nailed to 
a post and cut off, and also be whipped on the naked body fifteen 
stripes; and for the second offense such person shall be branded, 
as aforesaid, and have his other ear nailed and cut off, as aforesaid, 
and be whipped on the naked body twenty-five stripes; and if 
such person shall commit the like offense a third time he shall be 
put to death as being incorrigible. [Acts and Laws of Connecti- 
cut, printed by Timothy Green, printer to the governor and com- 
pany of the colony of Connecticut, printed at New London, 1750, 
p. 18.] 



RELIGION AND MORALS. 65 

Section 67. 

Sunday Drunkenness and Profane Swearing — North Carolina, 1741. 

Whereas, in well-regulated governments, effectual care is al- 
ways taken that the day set apart for public worship be observed 
and kept holy, and to suppress vice and immoralitv : Wherefore, 
we pray that it may be enacted, and be it enacted by his excellency 
Gabriel Johnston, Esq., governor, by and with the advice and con- 
sent of his majesty's Council and General Assembly of this prov- 
ince, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, that all 
and every person and persons whatsoever shall, on the Lord's Day, 
commonly called Sunday, carefully apply themselves to the duties 
of religion and piety ; and that no tradesman, artificer, planter, 
laborer or other person whatsoever, shall, upon the land or water, 
do or exercise any labor, business or work, of their ordinary call- 
ings (works of necessity and charity only excepted), nor employ 
themselves either in hunting, fishing or fowling, nor use any game, 
sport or play, on the Lord's Day aforesaid, or any part thereof, upon 
pain that every person so offending, being of the age of fourteen 
years and upwards, shall forfeit and pay the sum of ten shillings, 
proclamation money. 

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that every 
person convicted of drunkenness, by view of any justice of the 
peace, confession of the party, or oath of one or more witness or 
witnesses, such person so convicted shall, if such offense was com- 
mitted on the Lord's Day, forfeit and pay the sum of five shillings 
of the like money ; but if on any other day, the sum of two shil- 
lings and sixpence for each and every such offense. [Martin's Laws 
of North Carolina, i. 52, 53.] 



Section 68. 

Against Adultery, etc. — New Jersey, 1694. 

" Whereas, amongst other heinous transgressions for which God 
Almighty afflicts a land, the sin of uncleanness is one of the great- 
est in the eyes of a pure God, for the suppression and discourage- 
5 



6Q RELIGION AND MORALS. 

ment of which, be it enacted by the governor, council and repre- 
sentatives in this present Assembly met and assembled, and by the 
authority of the same, that what person soever, man or woman, shall 
be convicted thereof before any court of record, either by confes- 
sion of the party, or other evident proofs, such person or persons so 
convicted (if both parties are unmarried) shall be fined in the sum of 
five pounds, and if either party is married, in the sum often pounds,, 
together with the costs of court; and in case of non-payment of 
the fine to be imposed as aforesaid, to receive at the most public 
place where the crime shall be adjudged, thirty-nine stripes on the 
bare back, if either party is married persons, and if both married,, 
then twenty stripes on the bare back, as aforesaid, unless they pe- 
tition to be sold to serve a certain space of time, at the discretion 
of the court, to pay the fine and court charges aforesaid ; and that 
the said person so convicted, as above, shall be bound in a recog- 
nizance to our sovereign lord and lady, the king and queen's maj- 
esties, in the sum of fifty pounds for the good behavior for the space 
of a year and a day thereafter." [Laws of New Jersey, pp. 527,528. J 



Section 69. 

Drunkards to be Posted — New Hampshire, 1719. 

" And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that the se^ 
lectmen in each town shall cause to be posted up in all public houses 
within each town in this province, a list of the names of all persons 
reputed drunkards or common tipplers, misspending their time and 
estates in such houses ; and every keeper of such house, after no- 
tice given him, as aforesaid, that shall be convicted before one or 
more justices of the peace of entertaining or suffering any of the 
persons named in such list to drink or tipple in his or her house, 
or any the dependencies thereof, shall forfeit and pay the sum of 
twenty shillings; one moiety thereof to him or them who shall in- 
form of the same, and the other moiety to and for the use of the 
poor of the town where such offense shall be committed." [Laws 
of New Hampshire, 146.] 



RELIGION AND MORALS. 67 

Section 70. 

Theft— Massachusetts, 1736. 

"And be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, that if 
any person convicted of a second theft, in manner aforesaid, shall 
presume a third time to steal any money, goods or chattel, to the 
value of three pounds lawful money, and be thereof convicted by 
due course of law, he shall be adjudged to suffer the pains of death 
without the benefit of clergy." [Laws and Acts of Massachusetts 
(Kneeland's edition), p. 283.] 



Section 71. 

Making Debtors Pay by Servitude — Pennsylvania, 1705. 

No person shall be kept in prison for debts or fines longer than 
the second day of the next sessions after his or her commitment, 
unless the plaintiff shall make it appear that the person imprisoned 
hath some estate that he will not produce ; in which case the court 
shall examine all persons suspected to be privy to the concealing 
of such estate, and if no estate sufficient shall be found the debtor 
shall make satisfaction by servitude, according to the judgment of 
the court where such action is tried (not exceeding seven years, if 
a single person and under the age of fifty and three years, or five 
years, if a married man and under the age of forty and six years), 
if the plaintiff require it, but if the plaintiff refuse such manner 
of satisfaction, according to the judgment of the court, as afore- 
said, then, and in such a case, the prisoner shall be discharged in 
open court. [Dallas' Laws of Pennsylvania, i. 73.] 



Section 72. 

Counterfeiting — Maryland, 1707. i 

Forasmuch as divers evil disposed persons have of late forged 
and counterfeited several foreign coins commonly received amongst 
her majesty's subjects of this province for current in payment, to 



68 KELIGION AND MORALS. 

the great damage of her majesty's said subjects, being thereunto 
encouraged for that there has not heretofore been any condign pun- 
ishment by law provided for such offenders ; wherefore, and in or- 
der to deter such like offenders for the future from such evil and 
pernicious practices, be it enacted, by the queen's most excellent 
majesty, by and with the advice and consent of her majesty's gov- 
ernor, Council and Assembly, and the authority of the same, that 
if any person or persons, after the publication of this act, falsely 
forge, counterfeit, or clip, any such kind of coin of gold or silver, 
as is not the proper coin of the kingdom of England, or shall aid, 
assist or abet any offender or offenders doing the same, either by 
concealing them, or by any other ways or means countenance such 
offenders in their said offenses, every such offender, his aiders, abet- 
tors and countenancers therein, for the first offense, shall be whip- 
ped, pilloried, and cropped in both ears, and for the second offense 
shall be branded on the cheek and banished, upon due conviction 
in any of her majesty's courts of record within this province. 
[Maxcy's Laws of Maryland, i. 72.] 



Section 73. 

Embezzling or Altering Wills — Maryland, 1715. 

In case any person whatsoever shall, at any time hereafter, be 
legally convicted, by confession or otherwise, of wilfully or corruptly 
embezzling, impairing, raising or altering any will or record within 
this province, whereby the estate of inheritance or freehold of any 
person whatsoever shall be defeated, injured, or any ways altered, 
such person so convicted shall forfeit all his goods and chattels, 
lands and tenements, the one-half to our sovereign lord the king, 
his heirs and successors, for the support of government, the other 
half to the party grieved, and shall also be set in the pillory for 
the space of two hours, and have both his ears nailed thereto, and 
cut from off his head. [Maxcy's Laws of Maryland, i. 79.] 



RELIGION AND MORALS. 69 

Section 71. 

Stealing Above the Value of Twelve Pence— Maryland, 1715. 

If any person or persons have been once convicted of any such 
thieving and stealing (except before excepted), and shall after be 
again presented for thieving and stealing of any goods or chattels, 
laid to be above the value of twelve pence, it shall not be tried 
and determined by any county court, but the party presented, upon 
such presentment, shall be proceeded against in the provincial 
court as a felon for simple felony, but shall not be punished by 
death, but only paying the fourfold, branding with a hot iron, or 
such other corporal punishment as the court shall adjudge. [Max- 
cy's Laws of Maryland, i. 89.] 



Section 75. 

New Hampshire, 1701. 

Cursing and swearing made punishable by tine of one shilling 
for first offense, or be set in the stocks for two hours, if unable to 
pay fine. For every "oath or curse after the first" two shillings, 
or be set in the stocks not exceeding three hours. [Laws of New 
Hampshire, p. 16.] 

Drunkenness punishable by fine of five shillings, or setting in 
the stocks not exceeding three hours. For second offense, in addi- 
tion, shall find security, in the sum of ten pounds, for good beha- 
vior, or be sent to jail, to remain until he can find such security, 
[lb. 16.] 



Section 76. 

Virginia, 1606. 



" King James I. of England, in letters patent for " two several 
colonies and plantations, to be made in Virginia, and other parts 
and territories of America," said : 

"We greatly commending, and graciously accepting of, their 
desires for the furtherance of so noble a work, which may, by the 



70 RELIGION AND MORALS. 

providence of Almighty God, hereafter tend to the glory of his 
Divine Majesty, in propagating of Christian religion to such peo- 
ple as yet live in darkness and miserable ignorance of the true 
knowledge and worship of God, and may in time bring the in- 
fidels and savages living in those parts to human civility and to a 
settled and quiet government, do, by these our letters patents, gra- 
ciously accept of and agree to their humble and well intended 
desires." [Hening's Statutes, i. 58.] 

And we do specially ordain, charge and require the said presi- 
dents and councils, and the ministers of the said several colonies 
respectively, within their several limits and precincts, that they, 
with all diligence, care and respect, do provide, that the true word 
and service of God and Christian faith be preached, planted and 
used, not only within every of the said several colonies and plan- 
tations, but also as much as they may amongst the savage people 
which do or shall adjoin unto them, or border upon them, accord- 
ing to the doctrine, rights and religion now professed and estab- 
lished within our realm of England, and that they shall not suffer 
any person or persons to withdraw any of the subjects or people 
inhabiting or which shall inhabit within any of the said several 
colonies and plantations from the same, or from their due allegi- 
ance unto us, our heirs and successors, as their immediate sover- 
eign under God; and if they shall find within any of the said colo- 
nies and plantations any person or persons so seeking to withdraw 
any of the subjects of us, our heirs or successors, or any of the peo- 
ple of those lands or territories, within the precincts aforesaid, they 
shall, with all diligence, him or them so offending cause to be ap- 
prehended, arrested and imprisoned, until he shall fully and thor- 
oughly reform himself, or otherwise, when the cause so requireth, 
that he shall, with all convenient speed, be sent into our realm of 
England, here to receive condign punishment for his or their said 
offense or offenses. [Instructions issued by James I.; Hening's 
Statutes, i. 68, 69.] 



Section 77. 

From the Second Charter Granted by James I. to the Colonists of Virginia — 1609. 
And lastly, because the principal effect, which we can desire or 



KELIGION AND MORALS. 71 

•expect of this action, in the conversion and reduction of the people 
in those parts unto the true worship of God and Christian relig- 
ion, in which respect we should be loth that any person should 
be permitted to pass that was suspected to effect the superstitions 
of the Church of Rome, we do hereby declare, that it is our will 
and pleasure, that none be permitted to pass in any voyage, from 
time to time to be made into the said country, but such as first 
shall have taken the oath of supremacy; for which purpose, we do, 
by these presents, give full power and authority to the treasurer 
for the time being, and any three of the council, to tender and ex- 
hibit the said oath to all such persons as shall at any time be sent 
and employed in the said voyage. [Hening's Statutes, i. 97, 98.] 



Section 78. 

Punishment of Rogues, etc. — Connecticut, 1750. 

From "An act for restraining, correcting, suppressing and pun- 
ishing rogues, vagabonds, common beggars and other lewd, idle, 
dissolute, profane and disorderly persons, and for setting them to 
work : " 

"And it shall and may be lawful for the respective county courts 
an this colony, and for an assistant and justice of the peace, or two 
justices of the peace (quorum unus) to apprehend, send and commit 
to such houses of correction, to be kept and governed there accord- 
ing to the rules and orders of such houses, respectively, all rogues, 
vagabonds and idle persons going about from place to place beg- 
ging- 

"Also all persons using, or pretending to use, any subtle craft, 
juggling, or unlawful games or plays, or feigning themselves to 
have knowledge of physiognomy, palmistry, or pretending they 
can tell destinies, fortunes, or discover where lost or stolen goods 
may be found. 

"Also common pipers, fiddlers, runaways, stubborn servants or 
children, common drunkards, common night walkers, pilferers, 
wanton and lascivious persons, either in speech or behavior, com- 
mon railers or brawlers. 

"Also such as are guilty of reviling and profane speaking, or 



72 RELIGION AND MORALS. 

neglect their calling, misspend what they earn, and do not provide 
for themselves or the support of their families, upon due conviction 
of any of the offenses or disorders aforesaid." [Acts and Laws of 
Connecticut (1750), pp. 204, 205.] 



Section 79. 

Marriage — Connecticut, 1769. 

"And whereas, the right of disposing of children in marriage 
belongs to parents, therefore to prevent irregular proceedings to- 
wards marriage contrary to such right, be it further enacted by the 
authority aforesaid, that if any man shall directly or indirectly en- 
deavor to draw away the affections of any maid in this colony, on 
pretense of marriage, before he hath obtained liberty and allow- 
ance from the parents, governors, or guardians (if any be) of such 
maid, he shall forfeit for the first offense the sum of five pounds to 
the party aggrieved; and for the second offense towards the same 
party, double the said sum; and for the third offense, upon in- 
formation or complaint made by such parents or governors, to any 
assistant or justice of the peace, and giving bond to prosecute the 
offender, he shall be committed to prison till the next county court ; 
and upon hearing and conviction before the said court, he shall be 
adjudged to continue in prison until the next superior court shall 
see cause to release him, paying costs." [Acts and Laws of Con- 
necticut (ed. of 1769), p. 144.] 



Section 80. 

Idle Persons — Massachusetts, 1633. 

It is ordered that no person, householder or other, shall spend 
his time idly or unprofitably, under pain of such punishment as- 
the county court shall think best to inflict. And the constables 
of every town, are required to use special care to take notice of 
offenders in this kind, especially of common coasters, unprofitable 
fowlers, and tobacco takers, and present the same to the next mag- 
istrate, who is hereby empowered to hear and determine the cause- 



RELIGION AND MORALS. 73 

or transfer it to the next court." [Laws of Massachusetts, (ed. of 
1672), p. 47.] 

Section 81. 

An Act to Retrench the Extraordinary Expense at Funerals — Massachusetts, 1741. 

Whereas, the giving of scarves, gloves, wine, rum and rings at 
funerals is a great and unnecessary expense and while practised 
will be detrimental to the province, and tend to the impoverishing 
of many families; be it therefore enacted by his excellency the 
governor, council and representatives in general court assembled 
and by the authority of the same, that no scarves, gloves (except 
six pair to the bearers and one pair to each minister of the church 
or congregation where any deceased person belongs), wine, rum or 
rings shall be allowed and given at any funeral upon the penalty 
of fifty pounds to be forfeited by the executor or administrator to 
the will or estates of the person interred, or other person that reg- 
ulates or is at the expense of the funeral (to be paid by him out of 
his own estate), to be recovered by action, bill, plaint or informa- 
tion in any of his majesty's courts of record proper to try tho 
same." [Temporary Laws and Acts of Massachusetts (edition of 
1763), printed by order of the Governor, Council and House of 
Representatives, Boston, pp. 15, 16.] 



Section 82. 

Certain Criminal Offenses — Massachusetts, 1693. 

"Whereas, the breach of sundry criminal laws of this province 
is only punishable by fines, and many times the breakers of them 
have not money to satisfy the same ; be it therefore enacted by the 
governor, council and representatives, convened in General Assem- 
bly, and by authority of the same, that henceforward it shall be in 
the power of any justice of the peace that shall have cognizance 
thereof, to punish breakers of the peace, profaners of the Sabbath, 
and unlawful gamesters, drunkards, or profane swearers or cursers, 
by sitting in the stocks or putting into the cage not exceeding 



74 KELIGION AND MOKALS. 

three hours, or imprisonment twenty-four hours, or by whipping, 
not exceeding ten stripes, as the case may deserve, and where the 
offender has not wherewithal to satisfy the law in that case pro- 
vided." [Acts and Laws of Massachusetts (Baskett's ed. of 1724), 
P- 46.] 



Section 83. 

Imprisonment for Debt — (Extract) — Massachusetts, 1641. 

" Provided, nevertheless, that no man's person shall be kept in 
prison for debt, but when there is an appearance of some estate 
which he will not produce, to which end any court or commission- 
ers, authorized by the general court, may administer an oath to the 
party or any other suspected to be privy in concealing his estate, 
but shall satisfy by service if the creditor require it, but shall not 
be sold to any but of the English nation." [Laws of Massachu- 
setts (ed. 1672), p. 6.] 



Section 84. 

Lord's Day — New Hampshire, 1700. 

" Be it enacted and ordained by the lieutenant governor, coun- 
cil and representatives, convened in General Assembly, and it is 
enacted by the authority of the same, that all and every person 
and persons whatsoever, shall, on that day carefully apply them- 
selves to duties of religion and piety, publicly and privately; and 
that no tradesman, artificer, or other person whatsoever, shall, upon 
the land or water, do or exercise any labor, business, or work of 
their ordinary calling, nor use any game, sport, play or recreation 
on the Lord's Day, or any part thereof (works of necessity and 
mercy only excepted), upon pain that every person so offending 
shall forfeit five shillings. Further, it is ordered and declared, 
that no traveler, drover, horse-courser, wagoner, butcher, higgler, 
or any of their servants, shall travel on that day, or any part 
thereof, except by some adversity they were belated and forced to 
.lodge in the woods, wilderness or highways the night before, and 
in such case to travel no further than the next inn or place of shel- 



RELIGION AND MORALS. 75 

tar on that day, upon the penalty of twenty shillings." [Laws of 
New Hampshire, pp. 8, 9.] 



Section 85. 

Arms Carried to Church— Georgia, 1770. 

An act " for the better security of the inhabitants, by obliging 
the male white persons to carry fire-arms to all places of public 
worship." [Marbury & Crawford's Digest, p. 398.] 



Section 86. 

Sunday — Georgia, 1762. 

Working, hunting, fishing, bull-baiting, bear-baiting, horse- 
Tacing, foot-ball playing, a or other games, exercises, sports or pas- 
times whatsoever," prohibited on the Lord's Day — five shillings 
penalty for every such offense. [Marbury & Crawford's Digest, 
P- 410.] 

Section 87. 

No Person to Travel on the Lord's Day — Carolina, 1712. 

"And be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, that no 
drover, wagoner, butcher, higgler, they or any of their servants, or 
any other traveler or person whatsoever, shall travel on the Lord's 
Day by land, neither shall any person or persons whatsoever travel 
on the Lord's Day by water in any barge, lighter, wherry, boat, 
canoe or periauger, excepting it be to go to the place of religious 
worship and to return again, or to visit or relieve any sick person, 
or unless the person or persons were belated the night before, and 
then to travel no further than to some convenient inn or place of 
shelter for that day, or upon some extraordinary occasion, for 
which he, she or they shall be allowed to travel under the hand of 
some justice of the peace of this province." [Statutes of South 
Carolina, ii. 397.] 



76 EELIGION AND MORALS. 

Section 88. 

Against Sports or Pastimes on the Lord's Day — Carolina, 1712. 

"And be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, that no> 
public sports or pastimes, as bear-baiting, bull-baiting, foot-ball 
playing, horse-racing, interludes or common plays, or other unlaw- 
ful games, exercises, sports or pastimes whatsoever shall be used on 
the Lord's Day by any person or persons whatsoever, and that 
every person or persons offending in any of the premises shall for- 
feit, for every offense, the sum of five shillings current money.* 
In case of the default or inability of persons to pay the forfeitures 
or penalties prescribed by this act the offending party was pun- 
ished by being " set publicly in the stocks for the space of two 
hours. " * * * 

"If any master, mistress or overseer shall command, and cause 
and encourage any servant, slave or slaves to work on the Lord's 
Day, he, she or they shall forfeit for every such offense the sum of 
five shillings current money." "Dressing of meat in families," 
"dressing or selling of meat in inns, or dwelling houses, or other 
public houses, for such as can not be otherwise provided," and 
"selling of milk" in the morning and evening, were not offenses- 
under this act. [Statutes of South Carolina, ii. 397, 398.] 



Section 89. 

Act of Conformity — Carolina. 

Title of an act "read three times and ratified in open Assem- 
bly, the 6th day of May, 1704:" 

" An act for the more effectual preservation of the government 
of this province by requiring all persons that shall hereafter be 
chosen members of the Commons House of Assembly, and sit in 
the same, to take the oaths and subscribe the declaration appointed 
by this act, and to conform to the religious worship in this province 
according to the Church of England, and to receive the sacrament 
of the Lord's Supper according to the rites and usage of the said 
church." [Statutes of South Carolina, ii. 232.] 



RELIGION AND MORALS. 77 

Section 90. 

Extracts from Laws of Delaware, Edition of 1752. 

u Whosoever shall menace, assault, or beat his or her parent, 
and shall be duly convicted thereof, upon complaint first made by 
his or her parent, he, she or they so offending shall suffer impris- 
onment for any space of time not exceeding eighteen months, dur- 
ing which time he or she shall be kept at hard labor." [p. 324.] 

" If any negro or mulatto slave shall assault or beat any white 
person or persons, he, she or they, so offending, being duly con- 
victed," shall "stand in the pillory for any space of time not ex- 
ceeding two hours, and be publicly whipped with any number of 
lashes not exceeding thirty-nine, on his, her or their bare back, 
well laid on." [p. 325.] 

" And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that an- 
other statute, made in the first year of the reign of King James I., 
chapter the twelfth, entitled ' An act against conjuration, witchcraft 
and dealing with evil and wicked spirits/ shall be duly put in exe- 
cution in this government, and of like force and effect as if the 
same were here repeated and enacted." [p. 34.] 

" And be it further enacted, that no negro or mulatto shall be 
employed by any constable or other officer within this government 
to whip or inflict any corporal punishment on any white person or 
persons, in any case whatsoever." [p. 307.] 

For traveling on Sunday, a fine of twenty shillings. Fishing, 
hunting or horse-racing, fine of ten shillings, or four hours in 
stocks. Gaming, playing or dancing, fine of five shillings, or four 
hours in the stocks. [Delaware Code, 1741, p. 122.] 



Section 91. 

Ministers — Non-conformists — Virginia, 1643. 

For the preservation of the purity of doctrine and unity of the 
■church, it is enacted that all ministers whatsoever which shall re- 
side in the colony are to be conformable to the orders and constitu- 
tions of the Church of England, and the laws therein established, 
and not otherwise to be admitted to teach or preach publicly or 



78 EELIGION AND MOKALS. 

privately, and that the governor and council do take care that alii 
non-conformists, upon notice of them, shall be compelled to depart 
the colony with all convenience. [Hening's Statutes, i. 277.] 



Section 92. 

Eeligion in Virginia — 1661. 

Extract from " ' Advisive Narrative concerning Virginia/ pre- 
sented to the right reverend father in God, Guilbert, lord bishop 
of London, Sept. 2, 1661." [Printed at London, 1662. Force's 
Collection, iii.] 

Virginia " is divided into several counties, and these counties 
contain in all about fifty parishes, the families whereof are dispers- 
edly and scatteringly seated upon the sides of rivers, some of which r 
running very far into the country, bear the English plantations above 
a hundred miles, and being very broad, cause the inhabitants of 
either side to be listed in several parishes. Every such parish is 
extended many miles in length upon the river's side, and usually 
not above a mile in breadth, backward from the river, which is the 
common stated breadth of every plantation belonging to each par- 
ticular proprietor, of which plantations, some extend themselves 
half a mile, some a mile, some two miles, some three miles and up- 
ward, upon the sides of those rivers; many of them are parted from 
each other by small rivers and creeks, which small rivers and creeks 
are seated [settled] after the manner of the great rivers. The fam- 
ilies of such parishes, being seated after this manner at such dis- 
tances from each other, many of them are very remote from the 
house of God, though placed in the midst of them. Many parishes 
as yet, want both churches and glebes, and I think, not above a 
fifth part of them are supplied with ministers; where there are min- 
isters, the people meet together weekly but once on the Lord's Day, 
and sometimes not at all, being hindered by extremity of wind and 
weather; and divers of the more remote families, being discouraged 
by the length or tediousness of the way, through extremities of heat 
in summer, frost and snow in winter, and tempestuous weather in 
both, do very seldom repair thither. By which brief description 
of their manner of seating themselves in that wilderness,, your lord- 



RELIGION AND MORALS. 7$ 

ship may easily apprehend that their very manner of planting them- 
selves hath caused them hitherto to rob God in a measure of that 
public worship and service which, as a homage due to his great 
name, he requires to be constantly paid to him at the times appoint- 
ed for it, in the public congregations of his people in his house of 
prayer." * * * " The cause of their dispersed seating [settle- 
ments] was at first a privilege indulged by the royal grant, of hav- 
ing a right to fifty acres of land for every person they should trans- 
port at their own charges ; by which means, some men transporting 
many servants thither, and others purchasing the rights of those 
that did, took possession of great tracts of land at their pleasure, 
and by degrees scattered their plantations through the country after 
the manner before described." 



Section 93. 

Witchcraft in Massachusetts — 1692. 

Barber's Historical Collections of Massachusetts (p. 27) saysr 
"In 1692 a great excitement was again revived in New Eng- 
land, on account of the supposed prevalence of witchcraft. It 
commenced this time in Danvers, then a part of Salem. * * * 
This contagion spread rapidly over the neighboring country, and 
soon appeared in various parts of Essex, Middlesex and Suffolk. 
* * * For a time those who were accused were persons of the 
lower classes; but at length some of the first people in rank and 
character were accused of the crime of witchcraft. The evil had 
now become awfully alarming. Before the close of September 
nineteen persons were executed, and one (Giles Corey) was pressed 
to death for refusing to put himself on a trial by jury. * * *■ 
At length the magistrates became convinced that their proceedings 
had been rash and indefensible. A special court was held on the 
subject, and fifty who were brought to trial were acquitted, ex- 
cepting three, who were reprieved by the governor." 



80 RELIGION AND MOEALS. 

Section 94. 

Witchcraft in Pennsylvania — 1683. 

Margaret Matson was indicted for witchcraft at Philadelphia, 
in December, 1683. After a charge from the governor (Penn), the 
jury returned the following verdict: "The prisoner is guilty of 
the common fame of being a witch, but not guilty as she stands in- 
dicted." [Collection of New Jersey Historical Society, iii. p. 103; 
Pennsylvania Records, i. 41.] 



Section 95. 

Witchcraft. 



Grand jury's bill against Mary Osgood, of the province of Mas- 
sachusetts Bay — 1692: 

"The jurors for our sovereign lord and lady, the king and 
queen, present, that Mary Osgood, wife of Captain John Osgood, 
of Andover, in the county of Essex, about eleven years ago, in the 
town of Andover aforesaid, wickedly, maliciously and feloniously, 
a covenant with the Devil did make, and signed the Devil's book, 
and took the Devil to be her god, and consented to serve and wor- 
ship him, and was baptised by the Devil, and renounced her for- 
mer Christian baptism, and promised to be the Devil's, both body 
&nd soul forever, and to serve him; by which diabolical covenant, 
by her made with the Devil, she, the said Mary Osgood, is become 
a detestable witch, against the peace of our sovereign lord and 
lady, the king and queen, their crown and dignity, and the laws in 
that case made and provided. A true bill. 

"Robert Page, Foreman. 

[Mary Osgood was found " not guilty."] [Collections of the 
Massachusetts Historical Society for the year 1800, p. 241.] 



Section 96. 

Virginia— Trial for Witchcraft, 1706. 
In 1706, Grace Sherwood, of Princess Anne county, Virginia, 



KELIGION AND MORALS. 81 

was tried for witchcraft, and the record of the trial shows that the 
court, after a consideration of the charges and the testimony, or- 
dered the sheriff "to take the said Grace into his custody, and to 
commit her body to the common jail, there to secure her by irons 
©r otherwise" until "brought to a future trial." [Howe's Histori- 
cal Collections of Virginia, p. 438.] 



Section 97. 

Arms at Church — South Carolina, 1765. 

In 1765, a grand jury at Charleston, South Carolina, presented 
•"as a grievance the want of a law to oblige the inhabitants of 
Charleston to carry arms to church on Sundays, or other places of 
worship." [Statutes of South Carolina, ii. 755.] 



Section 98. 

John Wesley in Georgia — 1737. 

Extract from a work printed at Charleston, South Carolina, in 
1741, entitled "A True and Historical Narrative of the Colony of 
Georgia, in America, from the First Settlement thereof until this 
Present Period." 

"And now [1737] to make our subjection the more complete, a 
new kind of tyranny was this summer begun to be imposed upon 
«us ; for Mr. John Wesley, who had come over and was received by 
us as a clergyman of the Church of England, soon discovered that 
his aim was to enslave our minds as a necessary preparative for 
enslaving our bodies. The attendance upon prayers, meetings and 
sermons, inculcated by him so frequently and at improper hours, 
inconsistent with necessary labor, especially in an infant colony, 
tended to propagate a spirit of indolence and of hypocrisy amongst 
the most abandoned, it being much easier for such persons, by an 
affected show of religion and adhesion to Mr. Wesley's novelties, 
to be provided by his procurement from the public stores than to 
6 



82 KELIGION AND MORALS. 

use that industry which true religion recommends; nor, indeed, 
could the reverend gentleman conceal the designs he was so full of, 
having frequently declared that he never desired to see Georgia a 
rich, but a religious colony. At last all persons of any considera- 
tion came to look upon him as a Roman Catholic." [See Georgia 
Historical Collections, vol. ii. p. 280.] 



Section 99. 

Freedom of Eeligion — Virginia, 1776. 

A declaration of rights made by the representatives of the 
good people of Virginia, assembled in full and free convention, 
which rights do pertain to them and their posterity as the basis 
and foundation of government. Agreed to unanimously, June 12 r 
1776, in convention at Williamsburgh, Virginia : 

" XVI. That religion, or the duty which we owe to our Cre- 
ator, and the manner of discharging it, can be directed only by 
reason and conviction, not by force or violence, and therefore all 
men are equally entitled to the free exercise of religion, according 
to the dictates of conscience ; and that it is the mutual duty of all 
to practice Christian forbearance, love and charity towards each 
other." [Hening's Statutes at Large, i. 49.] 

In referring to the doctrine of the divine right of kings, and 
the duties in subjects of unlimited submission, passive obedience 
and non-resistance, on pain of eternal punishment, John Adams, in 
a letter addressed to William Tudor, says : 

" These doctrines have been openly and boldly asserted and de- 
fended, since my memory, in the town of Boston and in the town 
of Quincy, by persons of no small consideration in the world, 
whom I could name, but I will not, because their posterity are 
much softened from this severity." [Works of John Adams, vol. 
x. p. 357.] 

Section 100. 

Grant of Carolina — 1663. 

The first clause of the first charter granted to the proprietors 
of Carolina, by Charles II., is in the words following, viz : 



RELIGION AND MORALS. 83 

" Whereas, our right trusty and right well beloved couselors, 
Edward, Earl of Clarendon, our high chancellor of England, and 
George, Duke of Albermarle, master of our horse and captain-gen- 
eral of all our forces, our right trusty and well beloved William 
Lord Craven, John Lord Berkley, our right trusty and well be- 
loved counselor, Anthony Lord Ashley, chancellor of our ex- 
chequer, Sir George Carteret, knight and baronet, vice chamber- 
lain of our household, and our trusty and well beloved Sir William 
Berkley, knight, and Sir John Colleton, knight and baronet, being 
excited with a laudable and pious zeal for the propagation of the 
Christian faith and the enlargement of our empire and dominions, 
have humbly sought leave of us, by their industry and charge, to 
transport and make an ample colony of our subjects, natives of our 
kingdom of England, and elsewhere within our dominions, unto 
a certain country hereafter described, in the parts of America not 
yet cultivated or planted, and only inhabited by some barbarous 
people who have no knowledge of Almighty God." 

By the third clause of the charter the proprietors were author- 
ized "to build and found churches, chapels and oratories in con- 
venient and fit places," and " to cause them to be dedicated and 
consecrated according to the ecclesiastical laws " of the kingdom 
of England. [South Carolina Statutes, i. 22, 23.] 

In the second charter granted to the proprietors of Carolina, 
in 1665, it was declared that as "it may happen that some of the 
people and inhabitants of the said province can not, in their pri- 
vate opinions, conform to the public exercise of religion accord- 
ing to the liturgy, form and ceremonies of the Church of England, 
or take and subscribe the oaths and articles made and established 
in that behalf," the proprietors were invested with "full and free 
license, liberty and authority," by such ways and means as they 
should think fit, to give and grant such persons " indulgencies and 
dispensations in that behalf, for and during such time and times, 
and with such limitations and restrictions as they, the said " pro- 
prietors, should, " in their discretion, think fit and reasonable." 
[Statutes of South Carolina, i. 40.] 



84 EELIGION AND MOKALS. 

Section 101. 

Witchcraft in Maryland— 1666. 

The commission given to the magistrates appointed for Somer- 
set county, in Maryland, directed them, under oath, to inquire, 
among other things, respecting witchcrafts, enchantments, sorceries 
and magic arts. 



Section 102. 

Connecticut— 1638. 



According to a constitution adopted by the " inhabitants and 
residents of Windsor, Hartford, and Weathersfield," " dwelling in 
and upon the river Connecticut and the lands thereunto adjoining," 
the magistrates were invested with "power to administer justice ac- 
cording to the laws here established, and for want thereof, accord- 
ing to the rule of the word of God." [Code of Connecticut, 1650 
(Hartford ed. of 1833), p. 12.] 

The most ancient record of the colony of New Haven contains 
the following declarations of June 4, 1639 : 

" The scriptures do hold forth a perfect rule for the direction 
and government of all men, in all duties which they are to perform 
to God and man, as well in the government of families and com- 
monwealths as in matters of the church." 

" That church members only shall be free burgesses, and that 
they only shall choose magistrates and officers among themselves, 
to have the power of transacting all public civil affairs of this plan- 
tation, of making and repealing laws, dividing of inheritances, de- 
ciding of differences that may arise, and doing all things or business 
of like nature." [lb. 114.] 

The agreement which contains the foregoing declarations was 
signed by one hundred and eleven persons. 



PAET III. 

extracts from old english statutes, etc., relating 
to religion and morals. 

Section 103. 

Sir Francis Bacon, a great English lawyer, in a proposition ad- 
dressed to King James I., said : 

"The laws of England are wise; they are just and moderate 
laws ; they give to God, they give to Caesar, they give to the sub- 
jects that which appertaineth. It is true they are as mixed as our 
language, compounded of British, Roman, Saxon, Danish and Nor- 
man customs. As our language is so much the richer, so the laws 
are the more complete." [Bacon's Law Tracts, p. 3.] 

Among the laws or canons enacted under King Edgar, who 
died in 975, the following appear : 

"We enjoin that every priest, in addition to lore, diligently 
learn a handicraft." 

"We enjoin that no learned priest put to shame the half 
learned, but improve him, if he know better." 

" We enjoin that no high-born priest despise the low-born, be- 
cause, if it be rightly considered, then are all men of one birth." 

"We enjoin that every priest zealously promote Christianity, 
and totally extinguish every heathenism, and forbid well-worship- 
ing, and necromancies, and divinations, and enchantments, and 
man - worshipings, and the vain practices which are carried on 
with various spells, with frith-splots, and with elders, and also 
with various other trees, and with stones, and with many various 
delusions with which men do much of what they should not." 

(85) 



86 EELIGION AND MORALS. 

"We enjoin that priests, every Sunday, preach to the people, 
and always set a good example." 

" We enjoin that the priests guard themselves against drunken- 
ness, and diligently reprehend it in other men." [Ancient Laws 
of England, ii. 274-249-255.] 



Section 104. 



By the laws of William I. of England, who died in 1087, " it was 
expressly prohibited that any one should be hanged or put to death 
for any oifense, but that his eyes should be pulled out, * * * 
his hands or feet cut off (or his body otherwise mutilated), accord- 
ing to the degree of his crime. " [ Hale's Pleas of the Crown, i. 11.] 



Section 105. 

False News— 1275. 



" It is commanded that from henceforth none be so hardy to 
tell or publish any false news or tales, whereby discord or occasion 
of discord or slander may grow between the king and his people 
or the great men of the realm ; and he that so doeth shall be taken 
and kept in prison until he hath brought him into court which was 
the first author of the tale." [Pulton's Collections of Statutes, p. 31.] 



Section 106. 

Laborers — 1360. 



" Laborers, etc., departing from their service into another coun- 
ty, shall be burned in the forehead with the letter F." [ Pulton's 
Collection of Statutes, 181.] 



Section 107. 

Punishment of Heresy — 1400. 

Extract from a statute passed in the second year of the reign of 
Henry IV : 



RELIGION AND MORALS. 87 

u The Catholic faith and the holy church, amongst all the king- 
doms in the world, hath been most devoutly observed in England, 
and endowed, which hath not been troubled with heresy. And 
therefore, none shall preach without the license of the diocesan of 
the same place ; none shall preach, or write any book, contrary to 
the Catholic faith, or the determination of the holy church ; none 
shall make any conventicles of such sects and wicked doctrines, nor 
shall favor such preacher. Every ordinary may convent before him 
and imprison any person suspected of heresy. An obstinate heretic 
shall be burned before the people." [ " The Statutes at Large, in 
Paragraphs, from Magna Charta until this time, carefully examined 
by the Rolls of Parliament, etc." " By Joseph Keble, of Gray's 
Inn, Esq." "Printed by the Assigns of John Bill and Christopher 
Barker, His Majesty's Printers." London: MDCLXXVI. (1676), 
p. 194. Pulton's Collection of Statutes, p. 252.] 



Section 108. 



An act for the punishment of heretics, passed in the second 
year of the reign of Henry IV. of England, 1400, declares that 
""a certain new sect," "usurping the office of preaching, do per- 
versely and maliciously, in divers places within the said realm, 
under the color of dissembled holiness, preach and teach these days, 
openly and privily, divers new doctrines, and wicked, heretical and 
erroneous opinions." * * * " They hold and exercise schools, 
they make and write books, they do wickedly instruct and inform 
people, and as much as they may excite and stir them to sedition 
and insurrection, and make great strife and division among the 
people, and other enormities horrible to be heard daily do perpe- 
trate and commit, in subversion of the said Catholic faith and doc- 
trine of the holy church, in diminution of God's honor, and also 
in destruction of the estate, rights and liberties of the said Church 
of England." The statute declares that such persons, upon con- 
viction, shall "be burnt," "in an high place," "that such punish- 
ment may strike in fear to the minds of others." [Pickering's 
Statutes at Large of England, ii. 415-418. Codex Juris Ecclesi- 
astici Anglicani, i. 403.] 



88 EELIGION AND MOKALS. 

Section 109. 

By a statute passed in 1414, in the second year of the reign of 
Henry V., it is enacted, " That all temporal officers be sworn to 
destroy all heresies and errors, commonly called Lollardy." [Hale's 
Pleas of the Crown, i. 399.] 



Section 110. 



A statute passed in the twenty-fifth year of the reign of Henry 
VIII. declares that heretics who refuse to abjure "shall be com- 
mitted to the lay power to be burned in open places for example 
of others as hath been accustomed." [Codex Juris Ecclesiastici 
Anglicani, vol. i. 403.] 



Section 111 



A statute passed in the thirty-first year of the reign of Henry 
VIII. contains the following provisions : 

" If any person, by word, writing, printing, ciphering, or any 
otherwise, do preach, teach, dispute or hold opinion that in the 
blessed sacrament of the altar, under form of bread and wine 
(after the consecration thereof), there is not present really the nat- 
ural body and blood of our Savior, Jesus Christ, conceived of the 
Virgin Mary ; or, that after the consecration there remaineth any 
substance of bread or wine, or any other substance but the sub- 
stance of Christ, God and Man ; or, that in the flesh, under the- 
form of bread, is not the very blood of Christ; or, that with the 
blood, under the form of wine, is not the very flesh of Christ, as 
well apart as though they were both together ; or affirm the said 
sacrament to be of other substance than as aforesaid, or deprave 
the said blessed sacrament; then he shall be adjudged an heretic, 
and suffer death by burning, and shall forfeit to the king all his 
lands, tenements, hereditaments, goods and chattels, as in case of 
high treason." [Statutes at Large of England (ed. of 1676), p. 
499.] 



KELIGION AND MORALS. 89 

Section 112. 

A statute passed in the first year of the reign of Edward VI. 
(1547), concerning runaway servants and vagabonds, contains the 
following provisions : 

" If any person shall bring to two justices of the peace any run- 
nagate servant, or any other which liveth idly and loiteringly by 
the space of three days, the said justices shall cause the said idle 
and loitering servant or vagabond to be marked with an hot iron? 
on the breast with the mark V, and adjudge him to be a slave to> 
the same person that brought or presented him, to have to him, his 
executors or assigns, for two years after, who shall take the said 
slave, and give him bread, water or small drink and refuse meat, 
and cause him to work by beating, chaining or otherwise, in suck 
work and labor as he shall put him unto, be it never so vile. And' 
if such slave absent himself from his said master within the term 
of two years, by the space of fourteen days, then he shall be ad- 
judged by two justices of the peace to be marked on the forehead 
or the ball of the cheek with an hot iron, with the sign of an S, 
and further shall be adjudged to be slave to his said master for- 
ever; and if the said slave shall run away the second time, he 
shall be adjudged a felon." [Statutes at Large of England (ed* 
1676), p. 624.] 

Section 113. 

It was enacted in Scotland, in 1563, st that all who used witch- 
craft, sorcery, necromancy, or pretended skill therein, and all con- 
suiters of witches and sorcerers, should be punished capitally; 
upon which statute numberless innocent persons were tried and 
burned to death, upon evidence which, in place of affording rea- 
sonable conviction to the judge, was fraught with absurdity and 
superstition." [Erskine's Institutes of the Law of Scotland, p. 
1180.] 

Section 114. 

Reading the Bible and Preaching. 

The following provisions appear in a statute which was passed 
in the thirty-fifth year of the reign of Henry VIII. : 



90 RELIGION AND MORALS. 

" There shall be no annotations or preambles in Bibles or New- 
Testaments in English. The Bible shall not be read in English in 
any church. No women or artificers, prentices, journeymen, 
servingmen, of the degrees of yeomen or under, husbandmen nor 
laborers, shall read the New Testament in English. Nothing shall 
be taught or maintained contrary to the king's instructions. And 
if any spiritual person preach, teach or maintain anything contrary 
to the king's instructions or determinations, made or to be made, and 
shall be thereof convict, he shall for his first offense recant, for 
ihis second abjure and bear a fagot, and for his third shall be ad- 
judged a heretic, and be burned and lose all his goods and chat- 
tels." [Statutes at Large of England (ed. 1676), p. 561.] 

The following opinion appears in the English Common Law 
Reports— Hill vs. Gould, Vaugh. 327 : 

" Whatever is declared by an act of Parliament to be against 
God's law, must be so admitted by us, because it is so declared by 
an act of Parliament. " 



Section 115. 



A statute against quarreling and fighting in churches and 
church-yards, passed in 1552: 

" Forasmuch as of late divers and many outrageous and bar- 
barous behaviors and acts have been used and committed by divers 
ungodly and irreligious persons by quarreling, brawling, fraying 
and fighting openly in churches and church-yards ; therefore, it is 
enacted by the king, our sovereign lord, with the assent of the 
lords, spiritual and temporal, and the commons in this present 
Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, that if 
any person whatsover shall, at any time after the first of May next 
coming, by words only, quarrel, chide or brawl in any church or 
church-yard, that then it shall be lawful unto the ordinary of the 
place where the same offense shall be done, and proved by two law- 
ful witnesses, to suspend every person so offending, that is to say, if 
he be a layman, ab ingressu ecclesice, and if he be a clerk, from the 
administration of his office for so long a time as the said ordinary 
.shall by his discretion think meet and convenient, according to the 



EELIGION AND MORALS. 91 

tfault." For smiting or laying violent hands in church or church- 
yard, to be excommunicated. 

For drawing any weapon in church or church-yard, with intent 
to strike another, to have one of his ears cut off, or be " marked 
and burned in the cheek with a hot iron, having the letter F 
therein," and be excommunicated. [Pickering's Statutes at Large 
of England, vol. v. 353, 354.] 



Section 116. 



An act of the first year of the reign of Elizabeth (1558) de- 
clares that " no manner of order, act or determination, for any 
matter of religion, or cause ecclesiastical, had or made by the 
authority of this present Parliament, shall be accepted, deemed, 
interpreted or adjudged at any time hereafter, to be any error, 
heresy, schism or schismatical opinion, any order, decree, sentence, 
constitution or law, whatsover the same be, to the contrary not- 
withstanding. " [Codex Juris Ecclesiastici Anglicani, vol. i. 425.] 



Section 117. 

Punishment of High Treason, 1572. 

The judgment pronounced, according to the usual form in the 
year 1572, " against a peer of the realm," was in these words: 

" Forasmuch as thou hast been charged with high 

treason, and hast denied thyself to be guilty, and hast submitted 
thyself to the trial of thy peers, who have found thee guilty, this 
bench judge th thee to be led back from hence to the Tower, then 
to be laid on a hurdle and drawn through the midst of the city to 
the gallows, there to be hanged, and being half dead, to be taken 
down, boweled, and after thy head is cut off, to be quartered into 
four parts. Thy head and body to be done according to the queen's 
pleasure, and God have mercy on thy soul." [BrydalPs Notes 
upon the Judgment in High Treason (London ed. 1679), p. 121.] 



92 KELIGIOX AND MOKALS. 

Section 118. 

In the twenty-third year of the reign of Elizabeth, a statute 
which contains the following provisions, was enacted : 

" If any person shall advisedly and with a malicious intent, of 
his own imagination, speak any false and slanderous news or tales 
against the queen that now is, then he shall have both his ears cut 
off, except he pay two hundred pounds to the queen's use in the 
exchequer within two months after judgment." [Pulton's Collec- 
tion of Statutes, p. 1133.] 



Section 119. 

Destruction of Altars, etc., in 1643. 

An act of the Parliament of Great Britain, passed on the 28th 
of August, 1643, contains the following provisions: 

" The lords and commons in Parliament, taking into their seri- 
ous considerations how T well-pleasing it is to God, and conducible 
to the blessed reformation in his worship, so much desired by 
both houses of Parliament, that all monuments of superstition or 
idolatry should be removed and demolished, do ordain, that in all 
and every the churches and chapels, as well cathedral and collegi- 
ate, as other churches and chapels and other usual places of public 
prayer authorized by law within this realm of England and do- 
minion of Wales, all altars and tables of stone shall, before the 
first day of November, in the year of our Lord God 1643, be 
utterly taken away and demolished." Also, " All communion ta- 
bles removed from the east end of every church," etc., "or chancel 
of the same," " and placed in some other fit and convenient places" 
in the churches, etc. Kails before the altars to be taken away. 
Raised chancel grounds to be taken down. All tapers, candle- 
sticks and basins to be removed. "All crucifixes, crosses, and all 
images and pictures," and u superstitious inscriptions" to "be- 
taken away and defaced." [ScobelPs Collection of Acts of Parlia- 
ment, i. p. 53.] 

" All representations of any of the persons of the Trinity, or 
of any angel or saint in or about any cathedral," etc., "or within 
any open place within this kingdom, shall be taken away, defaced 



RELIGION AND MORALS. 93 

and utterly demolished. " Copes, surplices, superstitious vest- 
ments, holy water fonts and organs prohibited in churches, etc. 
[lb. p. 70.] 

Section 120, 

Act of Parliament, 1648 — The Year Before the Execution of Charles I. — For 
Punishing Blasphemies and Heresies. 

" For the preventing of the growth and spread of heresy and 
blasphemy, be it ordained by the lords and commons in this pres- 
ent Parliament assembled, that all such persons as shall from and 
after the date of this present ordinance, willingly, by preaching, 
teaching, printing or writing, maintain and publish that there is 
no God, or that God is not present in all places, doth not know 
and foreknow all things, or that he is not almighty, that he is not 
perfectly holy, or that he is not eternal, or that the Father is not 
God, the Son is not God, or that the Holy Ghost is not God, or 
that they three are not one eternal God; or that shall in like man- 
ner maintain and publish that Christ is not God equal with the 
Father, or shall deny the Manhood of Christ, or that the Godhead 
and Manhood of Christ are several natures, or that the humanity 
of Christ impure and unspotted of all sin; or that shall maintain 
and publish, as aforesaid, that Christ did not die nor rise from the 
dead, nor is ascended into heaven bodily, or that shall deny his 
death is meritorious in the behalf of believers; or that shall main- 
tain and publish, as aforesaid, that Jesus Christ is not the Son 
of God ; or that the holy scriptures (viz.) of the Old Testament, 
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus. Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, 
Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, 
Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, the 
Song of Songs, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, 
Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, 
^ephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi ; of the New Testament, 
the Gospels according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, the Acts 
of the Apostles, Paul's Epistles to the Romans, Corinthians the first, 
■Corinthians the second, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colos- 
sians, Thessalonians the first, Thessalonians the second, to Timothy 
the first, to Timothy the second, to Titus, to Philemon, the Epis- 



94 RELIGION AND MORALS. 

tie to the Hebrews,, the Epistle of James, the first and second! 
Epistles of Peter, the first, second and third Epistles of John 3 the 
Epistle of Jude, the Revelation of John, is not the word of God,, 
or that the bodies of men shall not rise again after they are dead, 
or that there is no day of judgment after death — all such main- 
taining and publishing of such error or errors with obstinacy 
therein shall, by virtue hereof, be adjudged felony." * * * 

" The party shall be indicted for felonious publishing and 
maintaining such error, and in case the indictment be found, and 
the party upon his trial shall not abjure his said error and defense 
and maintenance of the same, he shall suffer the pains of death, as> 
in case of felony, without benefit of clergy." [ScobelFs Collection 
of the Acts and Ordinances of Parliament, part i. (London ed. of 
1658) pp. 149, 150. 

" And be it further ordained by the authority aforesaid, that all 
and every person or persons that shall publish or maintain as afore- 
said, any of the several errors hereafter ensuing, viz : That all 
men shall be saved; or that man, by nature, hath free will to turn 
to God ; or that God may be worshiped in or by pictures or images;: 
or that the soul of any man after death, goeth neither to heaven or 
hell, but to purgatory; or that the soul of man dieth or sleepeth 
when the body is dead; or that revelations or the workings of the 
spirit are a rule of faith or Christian life, though diverse from or 
contrary to the written word of God ; or that man is bound to be- 
lieve no more than by his reason he can comprehend ; or that the 
moral law of God contained in the ten commandments is no rule of 
Christian life ; or that a believer need not repent, or pray for pardon 
of sins; or that the two sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Sup- 
per are not ordinances commanded by the word of God ; or that the ' 
baptizing of infants is unlawful, or such baptism is void, and that 
such persons ought to be baptized again, and in pursuance thereof 
shall baptize any person formerly baptized ; or that the observation 
of the Lord's Day, as it is enjoined by the ordinances and laws of 
this realm, is not according, or is contrary to the word of God ; or 
that it is not lawful to join in public prayer or family prayer, or to* 
teach children to pray ; or that the churches of England are no true 
churches, nor their ministers and ordinances true ministers and or- 
dinances; or that the church government by presbytery is anti- 



RELIGION AND MORALS. 95 

Christian, or unlawful ; or that magistracy, or the power of the civil 
magistrate, by law established in England, is unlawful ; or that all 
use of arms, though for the public defense (and be the cause never 
so just), is unlawful," such person, " on refusing to renounce his said 
error in the public congregation, in the same parish from whence 
the complaint doth come," shall be " committed to prison " until 
he finds security that he will " not publish or maintain" such error 
or errors any more. [lb. p. 150.] 



Section 121. 

Discovery of Witches. 

In 1618, a volume entitled " The Country Justice," by Michael 
Dalton, Gentleman, of Lincoln's Inn, was printed at London, for 
the Society of Stationers. In this work Mr. Dalton says : 

"Now against these witches the justices of the peace may not 
always expect direct evidence, seeing all their works are works of 
darkness, and no witnesses present with them to accuse them; and 
therefore, for their better discovery, I thought good here to insert 
certain observations out of the book of the discovery of the witches 
that were arraigned at Lancaster, A. D. 1612, before Sir James 
Altham and Sir Edward Bromely, judges of assize there: 

" 1. They have ordinarily a familiar or spirit, which appeareth 
to them. 

" 2. The said familiar hath some bigg, or place upon their body 
where he sucketh them. 

" 3. They have often pictures of clay or wax (like a man, etc.) 
found in their house. 

" 4. If the dead body bleed upon the witches touching it. 

" 5. The testimony of the person hurt, upon his death. 

" 6. The examination and confession of the children or serv- 
ants of the witch. 

" 7. Their own voluntary confession, which exceeds all other 
evidence." 

In the year 1609, says Dr. Priestley, six hundred sorcerers 
were condemned in the jurisdiction of the Parliament of Bordeaux, 
in France, and most of them were burned. 



96 KELIGION AND MORALS. 

Section 122. 

A volume published in London, in 1705, for the use of justices 
of the peace, etc., contains forms of indictments for the following 
offenses, viz: 

" For saying the king is a papist." 

" For harboring a priest." 

" For saying and hearing of mass." 

11 For killing a man by witchcraft." 

" For bewitching a horse." 

" Against a minister for not using the Book of Common Prayer." 

u Against Quakers for unlawful meetings." 

" For wearing an Agnus Dei." 

•" For marrying without a ring." 

" For not making the sign of the cross in baptism." 

" For eating flesh on days prohibited." [See Officium Clerici 
Pacis, London ed. 1705.] 



Section 123. 

Beggars and Vagabonds. 

By a statute of Scotland (1424), "all between the ages of four- 
teen and seventy, who begged without a badge or testimonial given 
them by the magistrate, were to be burned on the cheek and ban- 
ished." [Erskine's Institute of the Law of Scotland, p. 1192.] 



Section 124. 

Interpretation of Statutes— Scotland — James I. — 1427. 

"That nane interpreit the kingis statutes wrangeouslie. 

"Item. — The king of deliverance of councell, be maner of 
statute forbids that na man interpreit his statutes utherwaies then 
the statutes bearis, and to the intent and effect that they were maid 
for, and as the maker of them understoode ; and quhasa dois the 
contrarie, sail be punished at the kingis will." [Laws and Acts 
of Parliament made by King James I. and his royal successors, 
kings of Scotland, p. 18. Edinburgh, 1681. MDCLXXXL] 



RELIGION AND MORALS. 97 

Section 125. 

Laborers and Husbandmen in Ireland — 1447. 

In 1447 the Parliament of Ireland enacted a statute, from which 
the following extract is copied : 

"The commons are much grieved with this: That the sons of 
husbandmen and laborers, which in old time were wont to be la- 
borers and travailers upon the ground, as to hold ploughs, to ere the 
ground, and to travail with all other instruments belonging to hus- 
bandry, to manure the ground, and do all other works, lawful and 
honest, according to their state ; and now they will be kearnes, evil- 
doers, wasters, idle men, and destructioners of the king our sover- 
eign lord's liege people, to great decay of the said commons, and 
impoverishment of their state. Wherefore it is ordained and agreed 
by authority of this present Parliament, to withstand such ill gov- 
ernment of the said persons, and to put them to better rule, and 
for the common profit of all the liege people of the said land of Ire- 
land, that the said persons from henceforward, to comfort the said 
liege people in their husbandry, and in all other works lawful and 
profitable, shall be laborers and travailers upon the ground as they 
were in old time, and in all other works and labors lawful and hon- 
est according to their state. And if it fortune that any such son of 
husbandman or of laborer, in time to come, do the contrary of this 
that is ordained and established by this present Parliament, and 
thereof be lawfully convicted before any judge of the king, or judge 
of franchise, that he shall have the imprisonment of one year, and 
over that, he shall make fine to the king, or to the lord of the fran- 
chise, according to the discretion of the judge before whom he is 
convicted." [Collection of Statutes of Ireland (printed at Dublin, 
1678), p. 6.] 



Section 126. 

Pressing: to Death. 



In the year 1788 Dr. Joseph Priestley, in his lectures on gen- 
eral policy, referred to a practice which he called "the late English 
7 



98 RELIGION AND MORALS. 

practice of crushing a person to death who will not plead." The 
judgment against a person who was to be pressed to death was : 

" That he be sent to the prison from whence he came, and put 
into a dark, lower room, and there to be laid naked upon the bare 
ground upon his back, without any clothes or rushes under him or 
to cover him, * * * his legs and arms drawn and extended 
with cords to the four corners of the room, and upon his body laid 
as great a weight of iron as he can bear, and no more. And the 
first day he shall have three morsels of barley bread, without drink; 
the second day he shall have three draughts of water, of water 
standing next the door of the prison, without bread ; and this to be 
his diet till he die." [History of the Pleas of the Crown, by Sir 
Matthew Hale, vol. ii. p. 319.] 

As early, at least, as the time of Edward I., who was pro- 
claimed king in 1265, a kind of punishment which was called a the 
strong and hard pain," or pressing to death, was, by the law of 
England, inflicted on those w T ho stood stubbornly mute on their 
arraignment for felony. Various cases are recorded of the inflic- 
tion of this punishment in England ; and, in Massachusetts, in 
1G92, "Giles Cory, eighty years old, the husband of a reputed 
witch, stood mute upon his trial, and was condemned to be pressed 
to death." [American Cyclopedia, xiii. 227.] Women in England 
were subjected to the same tortures under the law. The punish- 
ment of pressing to death was virtually abolished by a statute 
passed in the twelfth year of the reign of George III. (1772), after 
having been a lawful mode of punishment for more than five hun- 
dred years. 



Section 127. 

Burning Heretics. 

The writ de hseretico comburendo (that is, of burning the her- 
etic) is thought by some to be as old as the common law itself. 
The conviction of heresy was, says Blackstone, " before the arch- 
bishop himself, in a provincial synod," and "the delinquent was 
delivered over to the king, to do as he should please with him ; so 
that the crown had a control over the spiritual power, and might 



EELIGION AND MORALS. 99 

pardon the convict by issuing no process against him ; the writ de 
hseretico comburendo being not a writ of course, but issuing only 
by the special direction of the king in council." 

Afterwards, by an act of Parliament of the second year of the 
reign of Henry IV. (1401), " the diocesan alone, without the in- 
tervention of the synod, might convict of heretical tenets, and 
unless the convict abjured his opinions, or if after abjuration he 
relapsed, the sheriff was bound, ex officio, if required by the bishop, 
to commit the unhappy victim to the flames, without waiting for 
the consent of the crown." The writ for burning heretics was 
abolished by statute, 29 Charles II. [Blackstone's Commentaries, 
book iv. 46, 47.] 



Section 128. 

Instruments of Torture. 

In Maclaurin's " Remarkable Criminal Cases," tried in Scot- 
land, the following statements appear : 

" Lord Roystown observes : The instruments in use among us 
in later times were the boots and a screw for squeezing the thumbs, 
thence called thummikins. The boot was put upon the leg and 
wedges driven in, by which the leg was squeezed sometimes so se- 
verely, that the patient was not able to walk for a long time after ; 
and even the thummikins did not only squeeze the thumbs, but fre- 
quently the whole arm was swelled by them. Sometimes they kept 
them from sleep for many days, as was done to one Spence, anno 
1685 ; and frequently, poor women accused of witchcraft, were so 
used. Anciently, I find, other torturing instruments were used, as 
pinniewinks or pilliewinks, and caspitaws or caspicaws, in the mas- 
ter of Orkney's case, 24th June, 1596, and tosots, August, 1632; 
but what these instruments were I know not, unless they are other 
names for the boots and thummikins. The boots and thummikins 
were, it is said, imported into this country from Russia, by a Scotch- 
man, who had been long an officer in the service of that power." 
[ Maclaurin's Criminal Cases, Introduction, p. xxxvi.] 



100 KELIGION AND MOKALS. 

Section 129. 

Eeward for Killing Eebellious Slaves in Jamaica — 1716. 

" And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that if 
any freeman or servant shall kill or take any rebellious slave or 
slaves, he or they shall forthwith receive as a reward five pounds 
current money; and if any slave or slaves shall kill or take such 
rebellious slave or slaves, he or they shall receive forty shillings of 
like money, and a serge coat with a red cross on the right shoulder, 
which the church wardens of each of the respective parishes where 
such rebellious slave or slaves shall be killed or taken are hereby 
required to pay out of the parish stock." [Laws of Jamaica, p. 235.] 



Section 130. 

Canada— 1627. 



Extract from articles granted by the Cardinal de Richelieu, 
"for the establishment of the Company of the Hundred Associates 
for the Trade of Canada"— April 27, 1627: 

"The king, being desirous now, as the late King Henry the 
Great, his father, heretofore was, of causing to be sought out and 
discovered in the lands, regions and countries of New France, 
called Canada, some fit and proper place for the establishment of a 
colony, for the purpose, with divine assistance, of introducing to 
the people who inhabit the same the knowledge of the only God, 
cause them to be civilized and instructed in the Catholic, Apos- 
tolic and Roman religion and faith, his eminence the Cardinal de 
Richelieu, grand master, chief and general superintendent of the 
trade and manufactures of France, being obliged by the duties of 
his office to forward the pious intentions and designs of their 
majesties, the kings above named, has deemed that the only means 
of introducing these people to the knowledge of the only God is 
to people these regions with French born Catholics, who will 'by 
their example dispose the people to embrace the Christian religion 
and to lead a civilized life, and by establishing therein the royal 
authority be the means of creating, in his said newly discovered 
regions, some trade which may become advantageous to his majes- 



RELIGION AND MORALS. 101 

ty's subjects." [Mercure Francois, vol. xiv. part 2, p. 232 — Edicts 
and Ordinances relative to Seignorial Tenures in Canada, p. 5.] 



Section 131. 



In the early French colonies in America all religious rites, 
other than those of the " Apostolic Roman Catholic Church," were 
prohibited by royal edicts. [Code Noir — Edicts of 1685 and of 
1724.] 

Section 132. 

Louisiana, under the Government of Spain. 

In 1797 the Spanish governor of Louisiana, Manuel Gayoso de 
Lemos, published regulations for the allotment of lands to settlers. 
These regulations contain the following provisions : 

" The privilege of enjoying liberty of conscience is not to ex- 
tend beyond the first generation. The children of those who 
enjoy it must positively be Catholics. Those who will not con- 
form to this rule are not to be admitted, but are to be sent back 
out of the province immediately, even though they possess much 
property. " * * * 

" In the Illinois none shall be admitted but Catholics of the 
classes of farmers and artisans. They must also possess some prop- 
erty, and must not have served in any public character in the 
country from whence they come. The provisions of the preceding 
article shall be explained to the emigrants already established in 
the province, who are not Catholics, and shall be observed by 
them; the not having done it until this time being an omission 
and contrary to the orders of his majesty, which required it from 
the beginning. The commandants will take particular care that 
no protestant preacher, or one of any sect other than the Catholic, 
shall introduce himself into the province. The least neglect in 
this respect will be a subject of great reprehension." [Laws of the 
United States relating to Public Lands (ed. of 1828), p. 980.] 



102 RELIGION AND MORALS. 

Section 133. 

Punishment of Blasphemy under the old Spanish Code. 

" Blasphemers of God and the most holy Virgin (Maria Santis- 
ima). Their tongues are cut out, and they are to receive one hun- 
dred stripes if the crime be committed in the court (corte), and if 
out of it, their tongue is to be cut out, and one-half of their prop- 
erty confiscated." [White's New Eecopilacion, i. 243.] 



Section 134. 

Sorcery and Magic. 

Extracts from the penal code of China : 

" It shall not be allowed to conjurers and fortune-tellers to fre- 
quent the houses of any civil or military officers of government 
whatever, under the pretense of prophesying to them impending 
national calamities or successes ; and they shall, upon every such 
offense, suffer a punishment of one hundred blows. This shall 
not, however, be understood to prevent them from telling the for- 
tunes and casting the nativities of individuals by the stars in the 
usual manner." [Ta Tsing Leu Lee — Penal Code of China, p. 
187.] 

"All persons convicted of writing and editing books of sorcery 
and magic, or of employing spells and incantations in order to 
agitate and influence the minds of the people, shall be beheaded, 
after remaining in prison the usual period." [lb. p. 273.] 



Section 135. 

Punishment. 

From the Hindoo Code : 

" Punishment is the magistrate ; 

" Punishment is the inspirer of terror ; 

" Punishment is the nourisher of the subjects ; 

" Punishment is the defender from calamity ; 

" Punishment is the guardian of those that sleep ; 



EELIGION AND MOKALS. 103 

" Punishment, with a black aspect and a red eye, terrifies the 
guilty." [Code of Gentoo [Hindoo] Laws (London ed. 1777), p. 
262.] 

Section 136. 

Concerning Thieves. 

From the Hindoo Code : 

"A man who has no income, and whose expenses are large, such 
a man shall be suspected for a thief." * * * 

" When a person is suspected to be a thief he shall be asked 
in what quarter his habitation is, in what kingdom, in what town, 
in what place, and of what caste he is, and what his name is. Upon 
such questions, if, in giving his answer, he should change color, or 
his voice should alter, or he be seized with a trembling, and can 
not speak with ease and satisfactorily, and prevaricates in his ac- 
count, and can not prove his habitation or his caste to be what he 
affirms, and spends his money always in criminal expenses, and 
holds an intimacy with bad men, and all this is proved, he shall be 
judged a thief; if these signs are not found upon him he is not a 
thief." [lb. p. 227.] 

" If a man in debt renounces the world, and becomes Fakeer, 
his sons and grandchildren shall discharge his obligations." [lb. 
p. 15.] 

" When a kingdom is preserved free from thieves, from adul- 
terers, from murderers, and from all men of such evil principles, the 
magistrate of the kingdom goes to Paradise ; and if the magistrate 
always brings such persons to punishment he then also goes to 
Paradise, and his kingdom is doubled, and his reputation in- 
creased." [Gentoo Code, p. 284.] 



PAET IV. 

EDUCATION UNDER COLONIAL GOVERNMENTS. 

« 

Section 137. 

In 1670 the British commissioners of foreign plantations ad- 
dressed to the several governors of English colonies in America cer- 
tain questions relative to their condition. The governor of Connect- 
icut, in his reply in reference to the subject of education, said : "One 
fourth part of the annual revenue of the colony is laid out in main- 
taining free [common] schools for the education of our children." 

Sir William Berkeley, governor of Virginia, in his reply to the 
commissioners, said : " I thank God that there are no free schools 
nor printing, and I hope we shall not have these hundred years; 
for learning has brought disobedience, and heresy, and sects into 
the world, and printing has divulged them, and libels against the 
best government. God keep us from both." 

The antagonistic political theories which were brought from 
Europe into the English colonies of America, continued for a long 
time, to produce respectively their different results. Governor 
Berkeley, of Virginia, was a distinguished representative of those 
who were opposed to general popular education ; who believed that 
the people were incapable of self-government, and that " learning 
softened the minds of men, and brought into governments a relax- 
ation of discipline, where every man was more ready to argue than 
to obey." 

Section 138. 

In the colony of Massachusetts, as early as 1643, and probably 

(104) 



EDUCATION UNDEK COLONIAL GOVERNMENTS. 105 

before that time, "the townships were generally granted in value 
of six miles square, to be divided into sixty-three equal lots — one 
lot for the first settled minister, as inheritance; one lot for the 
minister, as glebe lands; one lot for the benefit of a public school; 
and the other sixty lots to sixty persons or families who should, 
within five years from the grant, erect a dwelling-house of seven 
feet stud, and eighteen feet square, with seven acres cleared and 
improved fit for mowing or plowing; to erect a house of public 
worship in five years, and maintain an orthodox minister. Every 
township of fifty householders or upwards to be constantly pro- 
vided with a schoolmaster, to teach children and youth to read and 
write, under a penalty of twenty pounds a year for neglect; as 
also, if consisting of one hundred householders or upwards, they 
were to maintain a grammar school." Douglas, i. 513. British 
Dominion in North America, p. 108.] 



Section 139. 

Education of Children and Apprentices in Massachusetts — 1642. 

The statutes of the several New England colonies contain many 
evidences of the disposition of the early legislators of those colo- 
nies to provide, as far as possible, for the support of various insti- 
tutions of learning. 

The following act was passed by the General Court of Massa- 
chusetts in 1642 : 

" Forasmuch as the good education of children is of singular 
behoof and benefit to any commonwealth ; and whereas many pa- 
rents and masters are too indulgent and negligent of their duty in 
this kind : 

"It is therefore ordered by this court and the authority thereof, 
that the selectmen of every town, in the several precincts and quar- 
ters where they dwell, shall have a vigilant eye over their brethren 
and neighbors to see, first, that none of them shall suffer so much 
barbarism in any of their families as not to endeavor to teach, by 
themselves or others, their children and apprentices so much learn- 
ing as may enable them perfectly to read the English tongue and 
knowledge of the capital laws, upon penalty of twenty shillings for 



106 EDUCATION UNDER COLONIAL GOVERNMENTS. 

each neglect therein. And further, that all parents and masters do 
breed and bring up their children and apprentices in some honest, 
lawful calling, labor or employment, either in husbandry or some 
other trade, profitable to themselves and the commonwealth. If 
they will not nor can not train them to fit them for higher employ- 
ments, and if any of the selectmen, after admonition by them given 
to such masters of families, shall find them still negligent of their 
duty in the particulars aforementioned, whereby children and ser- 
vants become rude, stubborn and unruly, the said selectmen, with 
the help of two magistrates, shall take such children or apprentices 
from them and place them with some masters for years — boys till 
they come to twenty-one and girls eighteen years of age, complete, 
which will more strictly look unto and force them to submit unto 
governments, according to the rules of this order, if by fair means 
and former instructions they will not be drawn into it." 



Section 140. 

Massachusetts, 1671. 

The following statute was passed by the legislative authority of 
Massachusetts, in the year 1671 : 

"It being one chief project of Satan to keep men from the 
knowledge of the Scripture, as in former times keeping them in 
unknown tongues, so in these latter times, by persuading from the 
use of tongues, that so at least the true sense and meaning of the 
original might be clouded and corrupted with false glosses of de- 
ceivers; to the end that learning may not be buried in the graves 
of our forefathers, in church and commonwealth, the Lord assist- 
ing our endeavors ; it is therefore ordered by this court and 
authority thereof, that every township within this jurisdiction, after 
the Lord hath increased them to the number of fifty householders, 
shall then forthwith appoint one within their towns to teach all such 
children as shall resort to him to write and read, whose wages shall 
be paid either by the parents or masters of such children, or by 
the inhabitants in general, by way of supply, as the major part of 
those that order the prudentials of the town shall appoint : Pro- 
vided that those which send their children be not oppressed by 



EDUCATION UNDEK COLONIAL GOVEKNMENTS. 107 

paying much more than they can have them taught for in other 
towns. 

"And it is further ordered, that where any town shall increase 
to the number of one hundred families or householders, they shall 
set up a grammar school, the master thereof being able to instruct 
youth so far as they may be fitted for the university ; and if any 
town neglect the performance hereof above one year, then every 
such town shall pay five pounds per annum to the next such school, 
till they perform this order. [This Act, thus far, appears in the 
Connecticut Code of 1650, pp. 90, 91.] 

" Forasmuch as it greatly concerns the welfare of this country 
that the youth thereof be educated, not only in good literature, but 
in sound doctrine, this court doth therefore commend it to the se- 
rious consideration and special care of our overseers of the college 
and the selectmen in the several towns, not to admit or suffer any 
such to be continued in the office or place of teaching, educating 
or instructing youth or children in the college or schools that have 
manifested themselves unsound in the faith or scandalous in their 
lives, and have not given satisfaction according to the rules of 
Christ." 

Afterwards, in 1671, it was ordered by the court, " that every 
town of one hundred families and upwards that shall neglect or 
omit to keep a grammar school/' according to law, " such towns 
shall pay ten pounds per annum unto the next town school that is 
settled according to that law." [Laws of Massachusetts (ed. of 
1672), pp. 136, 137.] 

Section 141. 

The Swedes, who founded the first civilized settlements on the 
Delaware river, and the Dutch, who made the first white settle- 
ments on the Hudson river, manifested considerable interest in the 
cause of popular education. 



Section 142. 

Provision for a Free School in Virginia — 1642. 
Benjamin Symms, of Elizabeth City county, in Virginia, was, 



108 EDUCATION UNDEK COLONIAL GOVEKNMENTS. 

perhaps, the first man on the continent of America who, by the use 
of his own means, made provision for founding a free school. His 
name is unknown to modern philanthropists ; but, at a session of 
the General Assembly of Virginia, held in 1642-'3 (about two 
hundred and thirty-five years ago), an act was passed in the words 
following, viz : 

" Be it also enacted and confirmed upon consideration had of 
the godly disposition and good intent of Benjamin Symms, de- 
ceased, in founding by his last will and testament a free school in 
Elizabeth [City] county, for the encouragement of all others in 
the like pious performances, that the said will and testament, with 
all donations therein contained concerning the free school and the 
situation thereof in the said county, and the land appertaining to 
the same, shall be confirmed according to the true meaning and 
godly intent of the said testator, without any alienation or conver- 
sion thereof to any place or county." [Hening's Statutes, i. 252.] 



Section 143. 

Provision for a College in Virginia — 1661. 

Whereas, the want of able and faithful ministers in this country 
deprives us of these great blessings and mercies that always attend 
upon the service of God, which want, by reason of our great dis- 
tance from our native country, can not in probability be always 
supplied from thence, be it enacted, that for the advance of learn- 
ing, education of youth, supply of the ministry, and promotion of 
piety, there be land taken upon purchases for a college and free 
school, and that there be, with as much speed as may be, convenient 
housing erected thereon for the entertainment of students and 
scholars. [Hening's Statutes, ii. 25.] 



Section 144. 

Lands, Cows, etc., Devised for Support of Free School in Virginia — 1675. 

In 1675 Henry Peasly, of Gloucester county, Virginia, by his 
last will and testament, devised six hundred acres of land, together 



EDUCATION UNDEK COLONIAL GOVERNMENTS. 109 

with ten cows and one breeding mare, for the maintenance of a 
free school forever, to be kept, with a schoolmaster, for the educa- 
tion of the children of the parishes of Abingdon and Ware." 

In 1756 the General Assembly of Virginia passed the follow- 
ing act : 

An act for appointing trustees to lease out certain lands and 
slaves, and for other purposes therein mentioned. 

Whereas, Henry Peasly, formerly of the county of Gloucester, 
deceased, was in his life-time, and at the time of his death, seized in 
fee simple of a tract or parcel of land containing six hundred acres, or 
thereabouts, lying and being in the parish of Abingdon, in the said 
county, and being so seized, by his last will and testament, in writ- 
ing, bearing date the seventeenth day of March, in the year of our 
Lord, one thousand six hundred and seventy-five, devised the same 
by the description of the land he then lived on, together with ten 
cows and one breeding mare, for the maintenance of a free school 
forever, to be kept with a schoolmaster for the education of the 
children of the parishes of Abingdon and Ware forever. 

And, whereas, several slaves have been, by different persons, 
since the above devise, given for the same purposes, but by reason 
of the inconvenient situation of the said land few children fre- 
quent the free school kept there, so that the charitable intention of 
the said Henry Peasly, and the other donors, is of little benefit 
to the said two parishes. 

And whereas, it is represented to this present General Assem- 
bly by the ministers, church wardens and vestrymen of the said 
two parishes of Abingdon and Ware, that if proper persons were 
empowered to lease out the said land and slaves, the annual rents 
thereof would be sufficient to support and maintain a free school 
in each of the said parishes for the education of the children re- 
siding there. 

This act incorporated trustees, etc., and declared that "the said 
trustees and governors shall issue and apply the rents of the said 
tract or parcel of land, slaves and other premises for the erecting, 
maintaining and supporting a free school and schoolmaster in each 
of the said parishes forever, for the education of the children of 
the said parishes respectively." [Hening's Statutes, vii. 41, 42, 43.] 



110 EDUCATION UNDEK COLONIAL GOVERNMENTS. 

Section 145. 

College for the Conversion of Infidels in Virginia — 1619. 

Ill 1619 the Council of Virginia ordered that " a choice com- 
mittee of five or seven be appointed to take into their care and 
charge the matter of the college to be erected in Virginia for the 
conversion of infidels." 



Section 146. 

Schoolmaster in Philadelphia — 1683. 

The following note appears in the " Minutes of the Provincial 
Council of Pennsylvania," under the date of October 10, 1683: 

" The governor and council, having taken into their serious con- 
sideration the great necessity there is for a schoolmaster, for the 
instruction and sober education of youth in the town of Philadel- 
phia, sent for Enoch Flower, an inhabitant of the said town, who for 
twenty years past hath been exercised in that care and employment in 
England, to whom having communicated their minds, he embraced 
it upon the following terms : To learn to read English, four shil- 
lings by the quarter; to learn to read and write, six shillings by 
the quarter; to learn to read, write and cast accounts, eight shil- 
lings by the quarter ; for boarding a scholar, that is to say, diet, 
washing, lodging and schooling, ten pounds for one whole year." 
[Pennsylvania Colonial Records, i. 36.] 



Section 147. 



The Maryland Gazette of February 28, 1771, contains an ad- 
vertisement from which the following is an extract : 

"Ran away, a servant man, from Dorchester county, who had 
followed the occupation of a schoolmaster ; much given to drink 
and gambling." 

And again, in the same paper, of February 17, 1774, the follow- 
ing appears : 

" To be sold, a schoolmaster and indented servant, who has got 
two years to serve." " He is sold for no fault, any more than we 



EDUCATION UNDER COLONIAL GOVERNMENTS. HI 

are done with him. He can learn bookkeeping, and is an excel- 
lent good scholar." Signed, "John Hammond, near Annapolis." 
[Report of Committee of Education, 1875, p. 20.] 



Section 148. 

Schoolmasters in New Jersey — 1693. 

"An act for establishing schoolmasters within this province. 

" Whereas, the cultivating of learning and good manners tends 
greatly to the good and benefit of mankind, which has hitherto 
been much neglected in this province ; be it therefore enacted by 
the governor, council and deputies, in General Assembly now met 
and assembled, and by the authority of the same, that the inhabit- 
ants of any town within this province shall and may by warrant 
from a justice of the peace of that county, when they think fit and 
convenient, meet together and make choice of three more men of 
the said town, to make a rate for the salary and maintaining of a 
schoolmaster within the said town, for so long a time as they think 
fit; and the consent and agreement of the major part of the inhab- 
itants of the said town shall bind and oblige the remaining part of 
the inhabitants of the said town to satisfy and pay their shares and 
proportion of the said rate ; and in case of refusal or non-payment, 
distress to be made upon the goods and chattels of such person or 
persons so refusing or not paying, by the constable of the said 
town, by virtue of a warrant from a justice of the peace of that 
county, and the distress so taken to be sold at a public vendue, and 
the overplus, if any be after the payment of the said rate and 
charges, to be returned to the owner." [Learning & Spicer's Laws 
of New Jersey, p. 328.] 



Section 150. 

Schools in Maryland — 1723. 

In 1723 the General Assembly of Maryland passed the follow- 
ing act : 

" Whereas, the preceding Assemblies for some years past have had 
much at heart the absolute necessity they have lain under, in regard 



112 EDUCATION UNDEK COLONIAL GOVEENMENTS. 

both to duty and interest, to make the best provision in their power 
for the liberal and pious education of the youth of this province, 
and improving their natural abilities and acuteness (which seem not 
to be inferior to any), so as to be fitted for the discharge of their 
duties in the several stations and employments they may be called 
to and employed in, either in regard to church or state, and for that 
end laid an imposition on sundry commodities exported out of, and 
others imported into this province, and other fines for the raising 
a fund for the erecting and supporting a good school in each county 
within this province, which has succeeded with such desired eifect 
that it is now thought necessary, and is prayed that it may be en- 
acted, 

II. And be it enacted, by the right honorable the lord propri- 
etor, by and with the advice and consent of his lordship's governor 
and the upper and lower houses of Assembly, and the authority of 
the same, that in some convenient time, after the end of this pres- 
ent session of Assembly, there shall (for the ends before mentioned) 
be erected one school in each county within this province, at the 
most convenient place, as near the center of the county as may be, 
and as may be most convenient for the boarding of children, at the 
discretion of the visitors, or the major part of them, that are here- 
after nominated, appointed and empowered by this act in each 
county." [Maxcy's Laws of Maryland, i. 172.] 

The act incorporated a board of visitors for each county, who 
were invested with authority to make laws, rules and orders for the 
government of the several schools to be established: " Provided 
always, that the said rules, laws and orders be no wise contrary to 
the royal prerogative, nor to the laws and statutes of England and 
acts of Assembly of this province, or to the canons and constitutions 
of the Church of England by law established." [lb. 175.] 

This law further declares, that every person appointed a visitor, 
"that shall wilfully refuse or delay to take upon him the said office, 
shall forfeit and pay/' for the use of the school, " the sum of five 
hundred pounds of tobacco." 



EDUCATION UNDER COLONIAL GOVERNMENTS. 113 

Section 151. 

Poor Children to be Taught at Public Schools in Maryland — 1728. 

And be it further enacted, by the authority, advice, and consent 
aforesaid, that the master of every public school within this pro- 
vince shall and is hereby required to teach as many poor children 
gratis, as the visitors, or the major part of them, shall order, or be 
immediately discharged and removed from his trust in the said 
school and a new master put in. [Maxcy's Laws of Maryland, i. 
188, 189.] 

Section 152. 

Free Schools in Carolina — 1710. 

The preamble to "An act passed in 1710, for the founding and 
erecting of a free school for the use of the inhabitants of South 
Carolina," is in the following words: 

" Whereas, it is necessary that a free school be erected for the 
instruction of the youth of this province in grammar and other 
arts and religion; and whereas, several charitable and well dis- 
posed Christians, by their last wills and testaments, have given 
several sums of money for the founding of a free school, but no 
person as yet is authorized to take the charge and care of erecting 
a free school, according to the intent of the donors, and to receive 
the said legacies, if tendered, nor to demand the same, in case of 
refusal to pay the same : so that, for want of some person or per- 
sons or body politic and corporate, proper for the lodging the said 
legacies therein, the same are not applied according to the pious 
and charitable intention of the testators or donors." [Statutes of 
South Carolina, ii. 342 — 1710.] Commissioners were appointed 
and incorporated by the act. 

In 1712 the following statute was enacted for the opening of a 
grammar school in Charleston: 

u Whereas, several sums of money have been given by well 

disposed persons for building a free school, which can not at this 

time be done conveniently; to supply which defect for the present, 

be it enacted by his excellency the palatine, and the rest of the 

8 



114 EDUCATION UNDER COLONIAL GOVERNMENTS. 

true and absolute lords proprietors of Carolina, by and with the 
advice and consent of the rest of the members of the General As- 
sembly, now met at Charleston for the southwest part of the said 
province, and by the authority of the same, that from and after the 
ratification of this act, John Douglas shall be and is hereby de- 
clared to be master of a grammar school in Charleston, for teach- 
ing the Greek and Latin languages, and shall choose one usher to 
the said school, who is empowered and required to assist the mas- 
ter aforesaid in teaching the languages, reading, English, writing, 
arithmetic or such other parts of the mathematics as he is capable 
to teach." [Statutes of South Carolina, ii. 376.] 



Section 153. 

Free School for Poor Children in South Carolina — 1740. 

By an act of 1740 certain fines and forfeitures were set apart 
"for the use of a free school, to be built, erected and established 
in the said town (Beaufort), for the education of poor children." 
[Statutes of South Carolina, iii. 575.] 



Section 154. 

Schoolmasters in Carolina — 1712. 

An act of December 12, 1712, for founding a free school in 
Charleston, declares " that the person to be master of the said 
school shall be of the religion of the Church of England, and con- 
form to the same, and shall be capable to teach the learned lan- 
guages, that is to say, Latin and Greek tongues, and to catechise 
and instruct the youth in the principles of the Christian religion, 
as professed in the Church of England." [Statutes of South Car- 
olina, ii. 393.] 

The same act provides " that as soon as a schoolmaster is set- 
tled in any other or all the rest of the parishes of this province, 
and approved by the vestry of such parish or parishes, such school- 
master so approved from time to time, shall receive the sum of ten 
pounds per annum out of the public treasury, by quarterly pay- 



EDUCATION UNDER COLONIAL GOVERNMENTS. 115 

merits, and the public receiver is hereby required to pay the same." 
This provision was made, in the words of the act, " as a further 
and more general encouragement for the instructing of the youth 
of this province in useful and necessary learning." [Statutes of 
South Carolina, ii. 395.] 



Section 155. 

New Hampshire, 1719. 

From "An act for the settlement and support of grammar 
schools : " 

" Be it enacted," etc., " that every town within this province, 
having the number of fifty householders or upwards, shall be con- 
stantly provided of a schoolmaster to teach children and youth to 
read and write ; and where any town or towns have the number of 
one hundred families, or householders, there shall also be a gram- 
mar school set up and kept in every such town, and some discreet 
person, of good conversation, well instructed in the tongues, shall 
be procured as master thereof, every such schoolmaster to be suit- 
ably encouraged and paid by the inhabitants." [Laws of New 
Hampshire, 143.] 

Section 156. 

Schools and Bills of Credit in New Hampshire — 1771. 

"Whereas, the sum of twenty pounds is set and imposed by 
an act of this province, passed in the fifth year of the reign of his 
late majesty, King George the First, as a fine for towns for not 
keeping a school as therein directed, and the sum of twenty 
pounds, set and imposed by another act of this province, passed in 
the seventh year of the same reign, as a fine on selectmen for neg- 
lecting to keep a school as therein directed, were originally set in 
paper bills of credit, no ways adequate to the nominal sum in law- 
ful money at this time, and the taking the nominal sum in lawful 
money at this time, would be contrary to the original intention of 
the legislature and injurious to his majesty's subjects; therefore, be 
it enacted by the governor, council and Assembly, that, for the sum 



116 EDUCATION UNDER COLONIAL GOVERNMENTS. 

of twenty pounds, in each of the acts aforesaid contained, shall be 
taken the sum often pounds respectively, and no more." Laws of 
New Hampshire, p. 260.] 



Section 157. 

Meeting Houses and School Houses in New Hampshire — 1714. 

"And it is hereby further enacted and ordered, that for build- 
ing and repairing of meeting houses, ministers' houses and school 
houses, and allowing a salary to a schoolmaster of each town within 
this province, the selectmen, in their respective towns, shall raise 
money by an equal rate and assessment upon the inhabitants, in 
the same manner as in this present act directed for the maintenance 
of the minister; and every town within this province shall, from and 
after the publication hereof, provide a schoolmaster for the supply 
of the town." [Laws of New Hampshire, p. 56.] 



PART V. 

early land geants and colonial legislation on the 
subject of lands. 

Section 158. 

Ancient Kegulations Concerning Lands. 

The earliest authentic records which have been preserved in 
India prove that the sovereign of the country was regarded as the 
owner of the lands in the region over which his dominion extended. 
He granted certain quantities of land to farmers at a stipulated rent, 
which generally amounted to one-fourth part of the annual pro- 
ducts of the land, payable in such products. A tract of land re- 
mained in possession of a family, descending from father to son, as 
long as the occupant continued to pay the annual rent. " In all 
the great monarchies of the East/' says Robertson, in his history of 
India, " the sole property of land seems to be vested in the sover- 
eign," and lands are rented to farmers on conditions similar to those 
which were common in India from a very remote period of the past. 
In those early times, it seems that war did not unnecessarily inter- 
fere with the labors of farmers. In some instances, while two hos- 
tile armies were fighting a battle in one field, the farmers were 
ploughing and reaping in the next field in peace and safety. [Diod- 
orus Siculus, Lib. ii. p. 53. Strabo, Lib. xv. p. 1030. Robertson's 
India, p. 208.] 

An early Hindoo grant of land concludes as follows : " Riches 
and the life of man are as transient as drops of water upon the leaf 
of the lotus. Learning this truth, O man ! do not attempt to de- 
prive another of his property." [Asiatic Researches, i. p. 123. 
Robinson's India, note lxvi.l 

(117) 






118 REGULATIONS CONCERNING LANDS. 

Among the ancient Jews and Egyptians it seems that the right 
to obtain lands by purchase was not prohibited. The patriarch 
Abraham bought, from Ephron the Hittite, a field and cave for 
a burial place. In Egypt, in the days of Joseph, the priests 
" sold not their lands" — Genesis, xlvii. 22 — but Joseph purchased, 
for Pharaoh, the other lands of the Egyptians, and gave the peo- 
ple seed from which to raise crops, claiming the fifth of the pro- 
duce as the king's right. — Genesis, xlvii. 26. It is declared, in 
Leviticus, xxv. 23, that "the land shall not be sold forever;" 
but it was lawful to sell it from the time of sale to the general 
jubilee, which was celebrated once in fifty years. In the later 
period of their history it seems that " the Hebrews, like all other 
nations of long standing, connived at the possession of large landed 
estates, although one of their prophets denounces a curse against 
those who join house to house, and field to field, that they may be 
placed alone in the midst of the earth." [Encyclopedia Metropol- 
itan, vi. 2.] Jephthah, on behalf of Israel, and against the Am- 
monites, pleaded the right of prescription, or an uninterrupted 
possession of the land for three hundred years. [Judges xi. 26.] 
In Leviticus, xxvii. 17, it is written, " Cursed be he that remov- 
eth his neighbor's landmark ; " and even among the ancient 
heathen nations the removing of landmarks was regarded as an 
act of great impiety. [Wood's Civil Law.] 

Herodotus says that one of the early kings of Egypt assigned 
to each Egyptian " a square piece of ground," and received reve- 
nues from "the rent which every individual annually paid him." 
Herodotus ii. 109; Young's Labor in Europe and America, p. 14.] 

In Greece, Lycurgus and other ancient legislators were in favor 
of an equitable division of the lands. [Montesquieu, book 5, c. 5.] 
A speech setting forth the views of the early Macedonians contains 
the following passage : " We hold this land given unto us by the 
posterity of Hercules, confirmed by the Delphic Oracle, and the 
inhabitants of it being overcome by us, ye know well that all pos- 
sessions, either private or public, to be confirmed by prescription of 
long time. We have held Messana more than four hundred years." 
[Fulbecke's Pandects, p. 20.] 

Among the ancient Greeks many small tracts of land were de- 
voted to what were called sacred purposes. The income arising 



KEGULATIOJNTS CONCEENING LANDS. H9 

from such lands was appropriated to the building of temples and 
to the maintenance of the public worship of the gods. [Smith's 
Dictionary of Antiquities and authorities quoted.] 

At a very ancient time, among the Romans, the land was under 
the dominion and control of the state. The citizens had only a 
kind of right to use the land by the permission of the ruling au- 
thorities. Absolute individual ownership of land was a thing un- 
known in the early period of Roman law. [Commentaries of 
Oaius on the Roman Law (London ed. 1869), p. 247.] The land 
was divided by lines running north and south and other lines run- 
ning east and west. The distance between the lines was deter- 
mined by the magnitude of the squares into which it was proposed 
to divide a tract of land. By a Roman agrarian law, enacted 365 
B, C, no person was allowed to own more than five hundred 
jugera. One jugerum contained about three thousand two hundred 
square yards. The English acre contains four thousand eight hun- 
dred and forty square yards. 

Appian, who wrote about A. D. 147, says: "The Romans, 
when they conquered any part of Italy, seized a portion of the 
lands, and either built cities in them or sent Roman colonists to 
settle in the cities which already existed. * * * As to the land 
thus acquired from time to time, they either divided the cultivated 
part among the colonists, or sold it, or let it to farm. As to the 
land which had fallen out of cultivation in consequence of war, 
and which, indeed, was the larger part, having no time to allot it, 
they gave public notice that any one who chose might in the mean- 
time cultivate the land, on payment of a part of the yearly pro- 
duce, namely, a tenth of the produce of arable land, and a fifth of 
the produce of olive yards and vineyards." [Smith's Dictionary 
of Antiquities.] 

In a description of the manners and customs of the early Ger- 
manic tribes, the historian Tacitus (who wrote his history, A. D. 
98) says: " In cultivating the soil they do not settle in one spot, 
but shift from place to place. The state or community takes pos- 
session of a certain tract proportioned to its number of hands; allot- 
ments are afterwards made to individuals according to their rank 
and dignity. In so extensive a country, where there is no want of 
land, the partition is easily made. The ground tilled one year lies 



120 REGULATIONS CONCERNING LANDS. 

fallow the next, and a sufficient quantity always remains; the labor 
of the people being by no means adequate to the extent or goodness 
of the soil. Nor have they the skill to make orchard plantations, 
to inclose the meadow ground, or to lay out and water gardens." 
[Murphy's Tacitus, v. 126.] The lands cultivated by the Germans 
"were given them only for the space of a year, after which they 
again became public." [Montesquieu, book 18, c. 22.] 

The feudal system of disposing of lands was founded in the mil- 
itary policy of the conquering nations who overran the western 
Roman empire and divided the conquered regions between them- 
selves and the former possessors of those regions. The grantees of 
such lands were bound to render military service to the grantors. 
When Christianity was introduced among these nations, "grants of 
land were made to the church, and the bishops held them, as all 
other tenants did, upon condition of military service. But after- 
wards they held lands in what was called frankalmoigne [free alms] 7 
when only alms to the poor, and prayers, were required of them." 
[Priestley's Lectures, 277.] 

In the time of Alfred the Great, before the close of the ninth 
century, England was divided into counties, tythings and hundreds. 
A tything was made up of ten families of land-holders; ten tyth- 
ings composed what was called a hundred ; and an indefinite num- 
ber of hundreds made a county or shire. The English law writer 
Chitty says that tythings, hundreds and shires or counties were 
mentioned in the capitularies of the Franks before the year A. D. 
630, about two centuries before the commencement of the reign of 
Alfred the Great. 

A register of lands, etc., was compiled between the years 1080 
and 1086, by order of William the Conqueror. The register has 
been generally known as Doomsday Book. "By this book of 
customs," says Raleigh, "he (William) exactly knew the quantity 
of the land and the quality of the persons in most of the English 
soil. I say but of most, because Wales is not described by Dooms- 
day, nor the four northern shires of Cumberland, Westmoreland, 
Northumberland and Durham." [Raleigh's History, viii. 600.] 
In the time of William I. of England, "all the land of this nation 
was in the Conqueror's hands and appropriated unto him, except 
religious and church lands and the lands in Kent, which, by com- 



KEGULATIONS CONCERNING LANDS. 121 

position, were left to the former owners as the Conqueror found 
them." [Bacon's Law Tracts, 126.] In 1083 a tax of six shil- 
lings was imposed on every hide of land in England. A hide 
refers to a quantity of land, which has been variously estimated 
from forty acres to one hundred acres. Between A. D. 900 and 
1000 two hides of land were sold for one hundred shillings. 
[Priestley.] In England the word " acre" was formerly used to des- 
ignate any open field; but at a later period the meaning of the 
word was limited by statutes to a definite quantity of land. [Vide 
Elton's Tenures of Kent, 127.] 

The treatise entitled " The Laws of Henry I." (1100 to 1135) 
contains the first notice of the right of primogeniture. [Southey's 
Common Place Book.] 

At the present time, in every nation, private property in land 
is derived, either directly or remotely, from the sovereign power 
of the country. [Sharswood's Blackstone, book 2, p. 8, note.] The 
early European discoverers of different parts of the American con- 
tinent acquired no territorial rights for themselves ; but they laid 
the foundations of vast claims of lands by the several sovereigns 
under whose respective flags they sailed. According to Pufen- 
dorPs Law of Nature and Nations, in taking possession of a newly 
discovered region, "the occupancy of one part only is conceived 
to create a property over the whole ; so, when a people have seized 
on one particular region, inclosed within settled bounds, still under 
the notion of taking all the void space about that they shall after- 
wards have occasion for, though at first they have no design to 
enlarge or exercise their dominion farther than those bounds, as 
not thinking what lies beyond to be of use or service to them, 
yet when they come at length to find that there is a necessity of 
adding such a void space to their present possessions, their bare 
intention and resolution should seem sufficient to extend their 
sovereignty over it as a part or appendage of their empire." 
[Pufendorf's Law of Nature, etc. book iv. c. 5, sec. 8.] 

The proceedings of the explorer La Salle, upon which France 
set up a claim to immense regions lying westward of the Allegheny 
mountains, are recorded in the following official document, which 
is on file among the national archives at Paris. 



122 KEGULATIONS CONCEENING LANDS. 

The translation here inserted was made by Mr. E. J. Forstall, 
who sent it to the governor of Louisiana in 1841. 

Proces Verbal of the Taking Possession of Louisiana — Discovered by De la Salle. 

Jacques Lametaire, notary of Fort Frontenac, in New France, 
authorized and commissioned to exercise the said functions of no- 
tary, during the voyage to Louisiana in North America, by M. De 
la Salle, the king's governor of the aforesaid Fort Frontenac, com- 
manding the said expedition of discovery by virtue of a commis- 
sion from his majesty, dated at St. Germain en Laye, the 12th of 
May, 1678. 

To all whom these presents shall come, greeting : 

Know ye, that having been required by the said Sieur De la 
Salle to deliver to him an act signed by us and the witnesses 
therein named, of the possession by him taken of the country of 
Louisiana, near the three outlets of the river Colbert (Mississippi), 
in the Gulf of Mexico, on the 9th April, 1682, 

In the name of the high, mighty, very powerful, invincible and 
victorious prince Louis the Great, by the grace of God king of 
France and of Navarre, the fourteenth of this name, and of his 
heirs and the successors of his crown. 

We, the aforesaid notary, have delivered said act to the said 
Sieur De la Salle, of the following tenor: 

The twenty-seventh of December, one thousand six hundred 
and eighty-one, M, De la Salle having departed on foot to join M. 
de Tonty, who, with all his people and crew, had gone in advance, 
joined them forty leagues from the country of the Miamis, where 
the ice had compelled them to stop on the bank of the river Chi- 
kagou (Chicago), in the country of the Maskouters; the ice having 
become stronger sledges were constructed in order to drag the 
baggage, the canoes, and a Frenchman who was wounded, all along 
this river and the river Illinois, a distance of seventy leagues. 
Finally, all the French having assembled on the 25th January, 
1682, they arrived at Pimiteoni, where the river being no longer 
frozen, except in certain spots, they continued their journey to the 
river Colbert (Mississippi), about sixty leagues distant from Pimi- 
teoni, and about ninety leagues from the village of the Illinois. 
They arrived at the bank of the river Colbert on the 6th Febru- 



KEGULATIONS CONCEENING LANDS. 123 

ary, and remained there until the 13th, waiting for the savages who 
had been prevented by the ice from following them. The 13th, 
being all united, they departed, viz : twenty-two Frenchmen, car- 
rying arms, assisted by the Rev. Father Zenobie, a recollet mis- 
sionary, and followed by eighteen savages of New England, and 
some Algonquin, Olchipoises and Huron women. 

On the 14th they arrived at the village of Maxoa, com- 
posed of 100 cabins, which they found empty. After having navi- 
gated, until the 26th of February, a distance of about 100 leagues 
on the river Colbert, and having stopped to hunt a Frenchman 
who had gone astray in the woods, it having been reported to M. 
De la Salle that a great number of savages had been seen in the 
neighborhood, and he, thinking that they might have captured this 
Frenchman, caused a fort to be constructed, of which he left M. 
de Tonty in command with 16 men, and with the other 24 went 
in search of his lost follower, and to reconnoitre the savages. 

Having marched two days through the woods without finding 
them, because they had fled, having been alarmed by the reports 
of the firearms which they had heard, he returned to the camp and 
sent both savages and French to make discoveries, with the order 
that if they found any savages to spare their lives in order to ob- 
tain information of the Frenchman. 

A person named Gabriel Barbe with two Indians, having en- 
countered five of the Chickasas nation, brought in two of them. 
They were received in the best manner possible, and after having 
made them understand that they were in trouble on account of the 
loss of a Frenchman, and that they had only taken them to get 
him back should he be found among them, and afterwards make 
with them a lasting peace, as the French desired to do good to all 
of them, they assured us that they had never seen the person of 
whom we were in search, but that the peace would be received by 
the chiefs with much gratitude. We made them many presents, 
and as they had given us to understand that one of their villages 
was not further distant than a half day's journey upon the road, 
M. De la Salle pursued that route in order to reach it. But hav- 
ing journeyed until night, and observing that the savages fre- 
quently contradicted each other in their conversation, M. De la 
Salle was unwilling to proceed any further without provisions. 



124 REGULATIONS CONCERNING LANDS. 

He having pressed them to declare the truth, they acknowledged 
that they were yet four days' journey from their village, and when 
they observed that M. De la Salle was angry at having been de- 
ceived by them, they proposed that one of them should remain 
with him whilst the other would carry the intelligence to the vil- 
lage, where the ancients would come to join him four days' journey 
further on. The said Sieur returned with one of the Chickasas, 
and the Frenchman whom they had been in search of having been 
found, they continued their voyage. They passed the river Che- 
pontia and the village of the Mostegames. The fog, which was 
very thick, caused them to miss the channel that led to the rendez- 
vous of the Chickasas, which they did not perceive. 

On the 12th of March they arrived at Kapaka, a village of the 
Arkansas, where they made peace and took possession. On the 
15th of March they passed another of their villages situated upon 
the bank of the river; also two others at some distance in the woods, 
and arrived at Imaha, the largest village of that nation, where the 
peace was confirmed, and where they recognized that this village 
belonged to his majesty. 

Two of the Arkansas embarked with M. De la Salle to conduct 
him to the Tsensas, their allies, who dwelt in eight villages upon 
the shores of a small lake, at the distance of about fifty leagues. 
On the 19th they passed the villages of the Tunicas, Yazoos and 
Ikoneras, but as they were not upon the banks of the river, and 
they were enemies of the Arkansas and Tsensas, they were not vis- 
ited. 

On the 20th they arrived among the Tsensas, by whom they 
were well received, and who furnished them with an abundance of 
provisions. M. de Tonty having been to one of their villages ac- 
companied by six men, remained there until the next day. He 
found assembled in that place about 700 men capable of bearing 
arms, and peace was concluded there as well as with the Koroas, 
the chiefs of which had repaired thither from the principal village, 
distant about two leagues from that of the Natchez. 

The two chiefs accompanied M. De la Salle to the banks of the 
river where the chief of the Koroas embarked with him to conduct 
him to his village, where peace was again concluded with this na- 
tion, which, independent of the five villages of which it is com- 



REGULATIONS CONCERNING LANDS. 125 

posed, is allied with forty other neighboring villages. On the 31st 
they passed the village of the Oumas without being aware of it, be- 
cause of the fog and its situation being a short distance from the 
river. 

Upon the 3d of April, about ten o'clock in the morning, they 
discovered among the cane thirteen or fourteen canoes, and M. De 
la Salle went ashore, with some others. They saw a number of 
footprints; and a little lower down some Indians were engaged in 
fishing, who, upon seeing us, abandoned everything and took to 
flight. We landed on the borders of a marsh made by the over- 
flowing of the river. M. De la Salle sent two French for the pur- 
pose of making discoveries, and afterward two Indians, who related 
that there was a village near, but that in order to reach it, it was 
necessary to cross the whole of the marsh covered with cane ; that 
they had been attacked by a shower of arrows, by those of the vil- 
lage, who had not dared to engage in this marsh, and that they had 
retired, although neither the French nor the Indians who were 
with them had wished to fire, in accordance with the orders which 
they had received not to push things to extremities. 

Soon after, the beating of the drums, the hue and cry with 
which the savages are accustomed to begin the attack was heard in 
the village. We waited for them three or four hours, as we could 
not encamp in this marsh, and not seeing or hearing anything more, 
we embarked. About an hour after we discovered the village of 
the Maheonala, which had been ruined a short time previously, 
and was filled with blood and dead bodies. 

We encamped two leagues below. We continued the naviga- 
tion of the river until the 6th of April, when we arrived at the 
three outlets by which the river Colbert discharges itself into the 
sea. We encamped upon the banks of the western branch, three 
leagues or thereabouts from its mouth. 

On the 7th M. De la Salle was reconnoitering and visiting the 
shores of the neighboring sea, and M. de Tonty the great middle 
channel of these two outlets, and found them beautiful, broad and 
deep. On the 8th of April we ascended a little above the conflu- 
ence, in order to obtain a place dry and free from inundation, in 
about the twenty-seventh degree of north latitude. We prepared 



126 KEGULATIONS CONCERNING LANDS. 

a column and cross — upon said column were painted the arms of 
France, with the following inscription: 

" Louis le Grand, Roi de France et de Navarre, regnant le 9tb 
Avril, 1682." 

All being under arms, we chanted Te Deum, Pexaudiat, Dom- 
ine salvum fac regem. After several discharges of musketry and 
shouts of Vive le Roi, M. De la Salle erected the column, and 
standing near to it spoke aloud as follows, in French: 

"By the most high, most powerful, invincible, most victorious 
Prince Louis the Great, by the Grace of God King of France and 
Navarre, the fourteenth of this name. 

"Upon this day, the 9th of April, 1682, I, by virtue of the 
commission which I hold in my hand, from his majesty, ready to 
show to whom it may concern, have taken and do take possession 
in the name of his majesty, and of the successors to his crown, of 
this country of Louisiana, the sea, the harbors, ports, bays, straits 
adjoining, and all the nations, people, provinces, cities, hamlets, 
villages, mines, minerals, fisheries, rivers, streams, comprised 
within the extent of the said Louisiana, from the mouth of the 
great river St. Louis, from the eastern side, otherwise called Ohio, 
Olighin, Sipon or Chiagona, and that by the consent of the Chasa- 
nons, Chickasas, and all other people dwelling there, with whom 
we have made alliance, as also along the river Colbert or Mis- 
sissippi, and the rivers which discharge themselves into it from its 
source, beyond the country of the Sioux or Nadonessious, and 
this with their consent, and the consent of the Motantes, Illinois, 
Mastigarnes, Arkansas, Natchez, Koroas, who are the most con- 
siderable nations which dwell there, and who have also made alli- 
ance with us, or those with whom Ave are connected, as far as to 
its entrance into the sea or Gulf of Mexico, in the 27th degree of 
north latitude, even to the mouth of the river Palures, upon the 
assurance which we have from all those nations, that we are the first 
Europeans that have descended or ascended the said river Colbert. 

" Protesting against all those who may in future endeavor to 
seize all or any of the aforesaid country, people or lands aforesaid, 
to the prejudice of the right of his majesty, here acquiring them 
by the consent of the aforesaid nations, of all which in case of need 
I take as witnesses those who now hear me, and I require the notary 



REGULATIONS CONCERNING LANDS. 127 

here present to prepare an act of it, to serve as occasion may re- 
quire." 

All present replied to this discourse by cries of Vive le Roi, 
and discharges of musketry. M. De la Salle caused moreover a tree 
to be planted in the earth, with a cross attached to it, and a leaden 
plate with a coat of arms of the French engraved on one side with 
the following Latin inscriptions : Ludoviscus magnus regnat : nono 
Aprilis anno 1682. And on the other side : Robertus Cavellier 
cum Domino de Tonty, legato R. P. Zenobro membro recollecto 
et viginti Gallis, primus hoc flumen inde ab Illineoissen pago ena- 
vigabit ejusque ostium fecit permissus, nono Aprilis, anno 1682. 

After which the said Sieur De la Salle having declared that his 
majesty, the eldest son of the church, acquired no country for the 
crown in which his principal care was not to establish the Chris- 
tian religion, it was necessary to plant the mark of the latter, 
which was done immediately by erecting a cross, before which they 
chanted the Vexilla and the Domine salvum fac regem, whereupon 
the ceremony ended with shouts of Vive le Roi, of which, as well 
as all that precedes, the said Sieur De la Salle demanded of us an 
act. We delivered it to him, signed the 9th April, 1682. De la 
Salle, St. Zenobie, recollet missionary ; Henry de Tonty, Francois 
de Boisrondet, Jean Bourdon, St. Deutray, Jaques Cauchois, Pierre 
You, Gilles Meneret, Jean Michel Chirurgien, Jean Mas, Jean de 
Lignon, Nicholas De la Salle, et Lametaire, Notaire. [See De 
Bow's Commercial Review, vol. i. p. 241-249.] 



Section 159. 



On the 4th of May, 1493, Pope Alexander VI. granted to Fer- 
dinand and Isabella of Spain, and their successors, all the heathen 
countries which had been discovered by Spanish navigators, as well 
as those which should be discovered by them, westward of a line 
supposed to be drawn from pole to pole, a hundred leagues west- 
ward of the Azores. In making this grant to Ferdinand and Isa- 
bella, Alexander VI. intimates that he was governed chiefly by a 
desire to promote the growth of Christianity in heathen lands. 



128 EEGULATIONS CONCERNING LANDS. 

Section 160. 

Alonzo de Ojeda, a Spaniard, made one of the early attempts to 
plant a Spanish colony on the mainland of the continent of America. 
A certain number of the most eminent theologians and lawyers of 
Spain were employed to prescribe the mode in which Ojeda should 
take possession of lands and countries occupied by uncivilized peo- 
ple. The historian Robertson says, that "there is not in the history 
of mankind anything more singular and extravagant than the form 
which they devised for this purpose." This form, which served the 
Spaniards as a model in their subsequent conquests in America, was 
as follows: 

" I, Alonzo de Ojeda, servant of the most high and powerful 
kings of Castile and Leon, the conquerors of barbarous nations, 
their messenger and captain, notify to you, and declare in as ample 
form as I am capable, that God our Lord, who is one and eternal, 
created the heaven and the earth and one man and one woman, of 
whom you and we, and all the men who have been, or shall be, in 
the world, are descended. But, as it has come to pass, through the 
number of generations during more than five thousand years, that 
they have been dispersed into different parts of the world, and are 
divided into various kingdoms and provinces, because one country 
was not able to contain them ; nor could they have found in one 
the means of subsistence and preservation. 

" Therefore, God our Lord gave the charge of all those people to 
one man named St. Peter, whom he constituted the lord and head 
of the human race, that all men, in whatever place they are born, 
or in whatever faith or place they are educated, might yield obe- 
dience to him. He hath subjected the whole world to his jurisdic- 
tion, and commanded him to establish h : s residence at Rome, as the 
most proper place for the government of the world. He likewise 
promised and gave him power to establish in every other part of 
the world, and to judge and govern all Christians, Moors, Jews, 
Gentiles, and all other people, of whatever sect or faith they may 
be. To him is given the name of pope, which signifies admirable, 
great father and g-imrdian, because he is the father and governor of 
all men. Those who lived in the. time of this holy father, obeyed 
and acknowledged him as their lord and king, and the superior of 



REGULATIONS CONCERNING LANDS. 129 

the universe [i. e. the world]. The same has been observed with 
respect to them, who, since his time, have been chosen to the pon- 
tificate. Thus it now continues, and will continue to the end of 
the world. 

" One of these pontiffs, as lord of the world, hath made a grant 
of these islands, and of the tierra firme of the ocean sea, to the 
Catholic kings of Castile, Don Ferdinand and Donna Isabella, of 
glorious memory, and their successors, our sovereigns, with all 
they contain, as is more fully expressed in certain deeds passed 
upon that occasion, which you may see if you desire it. Thus, his 
majesty is lord and king of these islands, and of the continent, in 
virtue of this donation ; and, as king and lord aforesaid, most of 
the islands to which his title hath been notified, have recognized 
his majesty, and now yield obedience and subjection to him as their 
lord, voluntarily and without resistance ; and instantly, as soon as 
they received information, they obeyed the religious men sent by 
the king to preach to them and to instruct them in our holy faith ; 
and all of them, of their own free will, without any recompense or 
gratuity, became Christians, and continue to be so ; and his majesty 
having graciously received them under his protection, has com- 
manded that they should be treated in the same manner as his other 
subjects and vassals ; you are bound and obliged to act in the same 
manner. 

"Therefore, I now entreat and require you to consider atten- 
tively what I have declared to you ; and, that you may more per- 
fectly comprehend it, that you take such time as is reasonable, in 
order that you may acknowledge the church as the superior and 
guide of the universe [world ?], and likewise the holy father, called 
the pope, in his own right, and his majesty by his appointment, as 
king and sovereign lord of these islands, and of the tierra firme ; 
and that you consent that the aforesaid holy fathers shall declare 
and preach to you the doctrines above mentioned. If you do this, 
you act well, and perform that to which you are bound and obliged ; 
and his majesty, and I, in his name, will receive you with love and 
kindness, and will leave you, your wives and children, free and 
exempt from servitude, and in the enjoyment of all you possess, in 
the same manner as the inhabitants of the islands. Besides this, 
9 



130 REGULATIONS CONCERNING LANDS. 

his majesty will bestow on you many privileges, exemptions and 
rewards. 

" But if you will not comply, or maliciously delay to obey my 
injunctions, then, with the help of God, I will enter your country 
by force; I will carry on war against you with the utmost vio- 
lence ; I will subject you to the yoke of obedience to the church 
and king; I will take your wives and children, and make them 
slaves, and sell or dispose of them according to his majesty's pleas- 
ure; I will seize your goods, and do you all the mischief in my 
power, as rebellious subjects who will not acknowledge or submit 
to their lawful sovereign ; and I protest that all the bloodshed and 
calamities which follow are to be imputed to you, and not to his maj- 
esty, or to me, or to the gentlemen who serve under me. And as 
I have now made this declaration and requisition unto you, I re- 
quire the notary, here present, to grant me a certificate of this, 
subscribed in proper form." [Vide Herrera, dec. 1. lib. vii. c. 14 
(Madrid ed. 1730), and Robertson's America, p. 459.] 



Section 161 



In a pamphlet which was printed in London in 1609, and ded- 
icated " to one of his majesty's council for Virginia," the follow- 
ing passage appears : 

" We hear of late that a challenge is laid to all, by virtue of a 
donation from Alexander the Sixth, Pope of Rome, wherein (they 
say) is given all the West Indies, including Florida and Virginia, 
with all America, and whatsoever islands adjacent. But what is 
this to us? They are blind, indeed, that stumble here." 



Section 162. 



On the 10th of April, 1606, letters patent were granted by 
King James I. a for two several colonies and plantations, to be 
made in Virginia and other parts and territories of America." 
The first company, consisting of Sir Thomas Gates, Sir George 
Somers, and others of London and elsewhere, were authorized to 
plant their colony at any place on the Atlantic coast between the 



REGULATIONS CONCERNING LANDS. 131 

thirty-fourth and forty-first degrees of north latitude. This com^ 
pany received a grant of "all the lands, woods," etc., "from the 
first seat of their plantation" " by the space of fifty miles of Eng- 
lish statute measure, all along the coast of Virginia, towards the 
west and southwest, as the coast lyeth, with all the islands within 
one hundred miles, directly over against the same coast, and also 
the lands, soil," etc., " from the said place of their first planta- 
tion and habitation for the space of fifty like English miles all 
along the said coast of Virginia and America, towards the east and 
northeast, or towards the north, as the coast lyeth, together with 
all the islands within one hundred miles, directly over against the 
said coast; and also all the lands, woods," etc., "from the same 
fifty miles every way on the coast, directly into the main land by 
the space of one hundred like English miles." 

The second company created by the letters patent of April 10, 
1606, consisted of Thomas Hanham, Raleigh Gilbert, William Par- 
ker, George Popham, and others of Plymouth and elsewhere. 
They were authorized to plant a colony anywhere on the Atlantic 
coast between the thirty-eighth and forty-fifth degrees of north lat- 
itude; and their grant of territory extended along the coast and 
back into the mainland so as to include a district equal in extent 
to that which was granted to the first company. The letters patent 
declared that the two colonies should not be planted within one 
hundred miles of each other. 

The first company, which was called the London Company, 
planted a colony at Jamestown, in Virginia, in 1607. The second 
company, which bore the name of the Plymouth Company, made 
an unsuccessful attempt to plant a colony at the mouth of the Ken- 
nebec river. 

On the 23d of May, 1809, a new charter was granted by James 
I. to " the treasurer and company of adventurers of the city of 
London for the first colony of Virginia." This charter was 
granted to "twenty-one peers, ninety-eight knights, and a multi- 
tude of esquires, doctors, gentlemen, merchants, and sundry of the 
corporation of London." [Macgregor's Progress of America, i. 
171.] The company received a grant of " all those lands, coun- 
tries and territories situate, lying and being in that part of America 
called Virginia, from the point of land called Cape or Point Com- 



132 REGULATIONS CONCERNING LANDS. 

fort, all along the sea-coast to the northward two hundred miles, 
and from the said point of Cape Comfort all along the sea-coast to 
the southward two hundred miles ; and all that space and circuit of 
land lying from the sea-coast of the precinct aforesaid, up into the 
land throughout from sea to sea, west and northwest; and also all 
the islands lying within one hundred miles along the coast of both 
seas of the precinct aforesaid." [Charter of 1609.] 



Section 163. 



A statement that was published in London, in 1609, by a mem- 
ber of the Virginia Company, contains the following views of the 
author : 

" We purpose presently to make supply of men, women and 
children (so many as we can), to make the plantation. We call 
those ' planters ■ that go in their persons to dwell there ; and those 
4 adventurers ' that adventure their money and go not in person, 
and both do make the members of one colony. We do account 
twelve pound ten shillings to be a single share adventured. Ev- 
ery ordinary man or woman, if they will go and dwell there, and 
every child above ten years that shall be carried thither to remain, 
shall be allowed, for each of their persons, a single share, as if 
they had adventured twelve pound ten shillings in money." * * * 

"As we supply from hence to the planters, at our own charge, 
all necessaries for food and apparel, for fortifying and building of 
houses, in a joint stock, so they are also to return from thence the 
increase and fruits of their labors, for the use and advancement of 
the same stock till the end of seven years, at which time we pur- 
pose (God willing) to make a division, by commissioners appointed, 
of all the lands granted unto us by his majesty, to every of the col- 
ony, according to each man's several adventure, agreeing with our 
register book, which we doubt not will be, for every share of twelve 
pounds ten shillings, five hundred acres at least. * * * 

" The country itself is large and great assuredly, though as yet 
no exact discovery can be made of all. It is also commendable and 
hopeful every way, the air and climate most sweet and wholesome, 
much warmer than England, and very agreeable to our natures. It 



REGULATIONS CONCERNING LANDS. 133 

is inhabited with wild and savage people, that live and lie up and 
down in troops, like herds of deer in a forest. They have no law 
but nature ; their apparel, skins of beasts, but most go naked; the 
better sort have houses, but poor ones ; they can [know] no art nor 
science, yet they live under superior command, such as it is. They 
are generally very loving and gentle, and do entertain and relieve 
our people with great kindness. They are easy to be wrought to 
good, and would fain embrace a better condition." 



Section 164. 



In 1649 the proprietary government of Maryland offered three 
thousand acres of land for every thirty persons transported into 
the province; and for a lesser number of persons one hundred 
acres for every individual. [Bozman's Maryland, p. 375.] 



Section 165. 

In an essay on the subject of plantations, or colonies, written 
about the year 1612, Lord Bacon says : 

"It is a shameful and unblessed thing to take the scum of peo- 
ple, and wicked condemned men, to be the people with whom ye 
plant; and not only so, but it spoileth the plantation, for they will 
ever live like rogues, and not fall to work, but be lazy and quickly 
weary; and then certify over to their country to the discredit of 
the plantation. The people wherewith you plant ought to be gar- 
deners, plowmen, laborers, smiths, carpenters, joiners, fishermen, 
fowlers, with some few apothecaries, surgeons, cooks and bakers. 
£ #. _# Cram not in people by sending too fast company after 
company ; but rather hearken how they waste, and send supplies 
proportionably but so as the number may live well in the planta- 
tion, and not by surcharge be in penury." 

Of the "wicked condemned men" to whom Bacon refers, some 
were political offenders ; but the greater part of those who were 
transported as convicts, to the English colonies in America, were 
persons who had been tried and convicted of petty criminal acts. 



134 REGULATIONS CONCERNING LANDS. 

Among the causes of early emigration from Europe to these colo- 
nies, were the misfortunes of poverty; the hope of acquiring 
wealth or a title to land; disabilities or persecutions on account of 
religious belief; hatred of arbitrary power; hopeful views of what 
some men regarded as a state of civil and religious liberty; unset- 
tled habits and a spirit of adventure. 



Section 166. 



In a letter dated " London, August 14, 1682," and addressed to 
William Penn, Sir William Petty says : 

" I also think it not amiss (supposing the territory [Pennsyl- 
vania] to be two hundred miles square) to conceive it divided into 
four hundred parts or squares of ten miles in the side * * * 
and each of the said squares at fifty pounds at a medium. * * * 
My opinion is that not only Pennsylvania, but all the habitable 
land upon the face of the earth, will (within the next one thousand 
five hundred years) be as fully peopled as England is now; that is 
to say, there will be a head for every four acres of land." [Penn- 
sylvania Archives, 1664-1747, p. 50.] 

William Penn, soon after the date of his charter, sold about 
twenty thousand acres of land in Pennsylvania, at the rate of 
twenty pounds for every one thousand acres. 



Section 167. 



Pennsylvania was granted to William Penn by Charles II. on 
the 5th of March, 1681. Penn invited to his colony those who 
suffered under religious persecution, laborers, mechanics, " in- 
genious spirits low in the world," " younger brothers of small in- 
heritances." and " men of an universal spirit who have an eye to 
the good of posterity." The expenses of emigration were, for an 
adult, £5; for a child under twelve years of age, £2, 10s.; for goods 
or merchandise, £2 per ton. Persons who could not afford to pay 
the expenses of their voyage were informed that, on making an en- 
gagement to serve an employer for the term of four years, their 
passage expenses would be paid, and, at the end of their term of 



EEGULATIONS CONCERNING LANDS. 135 

service, each person would receive fifty acres of land at two shil- 
lings quit rent. 

Penn's laws, agreed upon in England in 1682, declare that 
" Every inhabitant in the said province [of Pennsylvania] that is 
or shall be a purchaser of one hundred acres of land or upwards, 
his heirs and assigns, and every person who shall have paid his 
passage, and taken up one hundred acres of land, at one penny an 
acre, and have cultivated ten acres thereof, and every person that 
hath been a servant or bondsman, and is free by his service, that 
shall have taken up his fifty acres of land, and cultivated twenty 
thereof, and every inhabitant, artificer, or other resident in the 
said province, that pays scot and lot to the government, shall be 
deemed and accounted a freeman of the said province ; and every 
such freeman shall and may be capable of electing or being elected 
representative of the people in provincial council or General As- 
sembly in the said province." [Pennsylvania Records, 1682.] 



Section 168. 

Indian Deed to Penn— July 15, 1682. 

The first deed for land executed by Indians to William Penn 
shows that the Indians received in payment for the lands granted 
the following articles, viz : 

" Three hundred and fifty fathoms of wampum, twenty white 
blankets, twenty fathoms of strawd waters, sixty fathoms of Duf- 
fields, twenty kettles, four whereof large, twenty guns, twenty 
coats, forty shirts, forty pair of stockings, forty hoes, forty axes, 
two barrels of powder, two hundred bars of lead, two hundred 
knives, two hundred small glasses, twelve pair of shoes, forty cop- 
per boxes, forty tobacco tongs, two small barrels of pipes, forty pair 
of scissors, forty combs, twenty-four pounds of red lead, one hun- 
dred awls, two handfulls of fish-hooks, two handfulls of needles, forty 
pounds of shot, ten bundles of beads, ten small saws, twelve draw- 
ing knives, four ankers of tobacco, two ankers* of rum, two ank- 

* Anker — A measure of spirits, formerly used in England, containing ten 
•wine gallons. The old wine gallon contained 231 cubic inches. 



136 EEGULATIONS CONCEKNING LANDS. 

ers of cider, two ankers of beer, and three hundred gilders."* 
[Pennsylvania Archives, 1664-1747, p. 47.] 

On the 23d of June, 1683, the Indians, by a treaty, granted to 
Penn a tract of land " all along upon Neshamineh creek and back- 
ward of the same, and to run two days' journey with an horse up 
into the country as the said river doth go " — " for the consideration 
of so much wampum and so many guns, shoes, stockings, looking- 
glasses, blankets and other goods as he the said William Penn shall 
please to give unto us." [Extract from Treaty; Pennsylvania 
Archives, 1664-1747, p. 63.] 



Section 169. 

Indians — Lands — Pennsylvania, 1700. 

An act against buying lands of the natives: 

Be it enacted, that, if any person presume to buy any land of 
the natives within this province and territories, without leave from 
the proprietary thereof, every such bargain or purchase shall be 
void and of no effect." [Dallas' Laws of Pennsylvania, i. 5.] 



Section 170. 

Indians to be First Served with Land — Virginia, 1658. 

Be it enacted by this present Grand Assembly, that there be no 
grants of land to any Englishman whatsoever (de futuro), until the 
Indians be first served with the proportion of fifty acres of land for 
each bowman, and the proportion for each particular town to lie to- 
gether, and to be surveyed, as well woodland as cleared ground, 
and to be laid out before patented, with liberty of all unfenced land 
for hunting for the Indians. And be it further enacted, that where 
the land of any Indian or Indians be found to be included in any 
patent already granted for land at Rappahannock or the parts adja- 
cent, such patentee shall either purchase the said land of the In- 
dians or relinquish the same, and be therefore allowed satisfaction by 

*A Dutch coin. One gilder equals about 38 cents 



KEGULATIONS CONCERNING LANDS. 137 

the English inhabitants of the said places, the said satisfaction to 
be proportioned equally between them. [Hening's Statutes, L 
456, 457.] 

Section 171. 

Confirmation of Indians' Land — Virginia, 1658. 

Whereas, many complaints have been brought to this Assembly 
touching wrong done to the Indians, in taking away their land and 
forcing them into such narrow straits and places that they can not 
subsist either by planting or hunting, and for that it may be feared 
they may be justly driven to despair and to attempt some desperate 
course for themselves; which inconveniences, though they have been 
endeavored to be remedied by former acts of Assembly made to the 
same purpose, yet notwithstanding, many English do still intrench 
upon the said Indians' land, which this Assembly conceiving to be 
contrary to justice and the true intent of the English plantation in 
this country, whereby the Indians might, by all just and fair ways, 
be reduced to civility and the true worship of God, have therefore 
thought fit to ordain and enact, and be it hereby ordained and en- 
acted, that all the Indians of this colony shall and may hold and 
keep those seats of land which they now have, and that no person 
or persons whatsoever be suffered to intrench or plant upon such 
places as the said Indians claim or desire, until full leave from the 
governor and council or commissioners for the place. Yet this act 
not to be extended to prejudice those English which are now seated 
with the Indians' former consent, unless upon further examination 
before the Grand Assembly cause shall be found for so doing, 
[Hening's Statutes, i. 467.] 



Section 172. 

Discoveries Westward and Southward — Virginia, 1660. 

Whereas, it hath been formerly granted by act of Assembly, in 
one thousand six hundred forty and one, and by order of Assem- 
bly, in one thousand six hundred fifty and two, for encouragement 
of discoverers to the westward and southward of this country, 



138 EEGULATIONS CONCEKNING LANDS. 

granting all profits arising thereby for fourteen years, it is by this 
Assembly ordered, that Mr. Francis Hamond and his associates, 
either jointly or severally, may discover and shall enjoy such ben- 
efits, profits and trades for fourteen years as he or they have found 
or shall find out in places where no English ever have been or dis- 
covered or have had particular trade; and to take up such lands by 
patents (proving their rights) as they shall think good, not exclud- 
ing others after their choice from taking up lands and planting in 
those now new discovered places, as in Virginia now is used ; but 
wholly from the trade during the said fourteen years, that being 
wholly appropriated to the said Francis Hamond and his associates. 
JHening's Statutes, i. 548.] 



Section 173. 

Grants to Settlers, etc. — New Jersey, 1664. 

"And that the planting of the said province may be the more 
speedily promoted, we do hereby grant unto all persons who have 
already adventured to the said province of New Csesarea or New 
Jersey, or shall transport themselves or servants before the first day 
•of January, which shall be in the year of our Lord one thousand 
six hundred and sixty-five, these following proportions, viz : To 
every freeman that shall go with the first governor from the port 
where he embarks, or shall meet him at the rendezvous he 
appoints, for the settlement of a plantation there, armed with a 
good musket, bore twelve bullets to the pound, with ten pounds of 
powder, and twenty pounds of bullets, with bandiliers and match 
convenient, and with six months' provision for his own person, 
arriving there, one hundred and fifty acres of land, English meas- 
ure, and for every able servant that he shall carry with him, 
armed and provided as aforesaid, and arriving there, the like quan- 
tity of one hundred and fifty acres, English measure ; and whoso- 
ever shall send servants at that time shall have, for every able man 
servant he or she shall send, armed and provided as aforesaid, and 
arrive there, the like quantity of one hundred and fifty acres; and 
for every weaker servant or slave, male or female, exceeding the 
age of fourteen years, which any one shall send or carry, arriving 



REGULATIONS CONCERNING LANDS. 139 

there, seventy-five acres of land ; and for every Christian servant, 
exceeding the age aforesaid, after the expiration of their time of 
service, seventy-five acres of land for their own use." [" The 
concession and agreement of the lords proprietors of the province 
of New Csesarea, or New Jersey, to and with all and every the 
adventurers and all such as shall settle or plant there." 1664]. 
["The Grants, Concessions," Acts, etc., of New Jersey, by Learn- 
ing & Spicer, pp. 20, 21.] 

"The governor and Council and General Assembly (if any be) 
are to take care and direct that all lands be divided by general 
lots, none less than two thousand one hundred acres, nor more 
than twenty-one thousand acres in each lot, excepting cities, towns, 
-etc., and the near lots of townships, and that the same be divided 
into seven parts, one-seventh part to us, our heirs and assigns; the 
remainder to persons as they come to plant the same, in such pro- 
portions as is allowed." [lb. p. 23.] 

Annual rent of one-half penny per acre to be paid to the lords 
proprietors. [lb. 24.] 



Section 174. 

Extravagant Land Grant — New York, 1696. 

"And, whereas, there is an extravagant grant of land, sealed 
with the seal of the province, made by Colonel Fletcher, late gov- 
ernor of this province, under his majesty, unto Mr. Godfrey Del- 
lius, bearing date the third day of September, one thousand six 
hundred and ninety-six, and registered in the secretary's office, con- 
taining a certain tract of land lying upon the east side of Hud- 
son's river, between the northernmost bounds of Saratoga and the 
Rock Rossian, containing about seventy miles in length, and goes 
backward into the woods, from the said Hudson's river, twelve 
miles, until it comes unto the Wood creek, and so as far as it 
goes, be it twelve miles, more or less, from Hudson's river, on the 
east side, and from said creek by a line twelve miles distant from 
said river : to have and to hold the said land and appurtenances 
unto him, the said Godfrey Dellius, his heirs and assigns forever, 
onder the rent reserved of one raccoon skin per annum." 

The governor of New York was subsequently instructed " to 



140 REGULATIONS CONCERNING LANDS. 

use all legal means for the breaking of extravagant grants of land 
in this province," and the foregoing grant was annulled by an act 
passed on the 12th of May, 1699. [Laws of New York, 1691 to 
1773, p. 32.] 

Section 175. 

An Act for Seating and Planting — Virginia, 1666. 

Whereas, there is in all patents a provisional clause for plant- 
ing and seating the land therein granted, in three years, but never 
yet by any law declared what was meant by that clause, nor what 
should be accounted sufficient seating and planting, this Grand 
Assembly, for the better explanation thereof, have declared and 
enacted that building an house and keeping a stock one whole 
year upon the land shall be accounted seating ; and that clearing, 
tending and planting an acre of ground shall be accounted plant- 
ing; and that either of those shall be accounted a sufficient per- 
formance of the condition required by the patent; and that after 
such planting and seating of land, as aforesaid, and continuance of 
paying the quit rents, no land shall be adjudged to be deserted, 
[Hening's Statutes, ii. 244.] 



Section 176. 

Price of Lands — Carolina, 1695. 

"And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that no 
person or persons whatsoever, who hath lands in this part of this 
province, and from whom rent was and is due for the same, shall 
be obliged to pay for the purchase of such lands more than twenty 
pounds current money for a thousand acres, reserving twelve pence 
rent for each hundred, for and during the time limited in this act, 
and so proportionally for a greater or lesser quantity ; and that all 
person or persons, for and during the limited time aforesaid [five 
years], shall buy and purchase lands for twenty pounds a thousand 
acres, in pieces of eight, weighing not less than sixteen penny- 
weight, or twenty-five pounds current money, reserving twelve 



REGULATIONS CONCERNING LANDS. HI 

pence a hundred acres rent, and so proportionably for a greater or 
lesser quantity." [Statutes of South Carolina, ii. 101.] 

"In 1708 emigrants from Germany were furnished with land, 
one hundred acres per head, free of quit rent for ten years." 
[Statutes of South Carolina, i. 429.] 



Section 177. 

Payment of Rents — Carolina, 1719. 

"And to prevent all disputes that may arise in what the lords' 
rents shall be paid, be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, 
that all rents in arrears, or that shall hereafter become due to the 
lords proprietors, shall be paid either in lawful money, according 
to the statute of the sixth of Queen Ann, or else in good merchant- 
able rice, at the rate of seventeen shillings and sixpence per hun- 
dred, or good pitch, at the rate of fifteen shillings per barrel, or 
tar, at the rate of seven shillings and sixpence per barrel, rent." 
[Satutes of South Carolina, iii. 46.] 



Section 178. 

Lands Holden of the King — Connecticut, 1717. 

"It is hereby enacted and declared by this Assembly and the au- 
thority thereof, that all lands in this government are holden of the 
king of Great Britain as the lord of the fee, and that no title to any 
lands in this colony can accrue by any purchase made of Indians on 
pretense of their being native proprietors thereof, without the allow- 
ance or approbation of the Assembly." [Acts and Laws of Con- 
necticut (1750), 110.] 



Section 179. 

Fraud in Surveying Lands — Georgia, 1765. 

" An act to prevent frauds and abuses in the admeasuring and 
laying out his majesty's lands in this province," is prefixed by the 
following preamble : 



142 KEGULATIONS CONCEKNING LANDS. 

" Whereas, frauds and abuses have been committed in admeas- 
uring and laying out his majesty's lands in this province, owing to 
the practice of bearing the chain by negroes, and by white persons 
not sworn to the faithful performance of that service, on the several 
surveys which the deputy surveyors are employed in, whereby it 
often happens that the quantity of land directed to be laid out by 
the warrant of survey doth in the field far exceed the number of 
acres represented by the plat returned to be annexed to the grant 
of such land, and tends to defraud the public of the taxes and his 
majesty of his quit rents, on the surplus measure of such incorrect 
and unjust surveys, which abuse in many instances, is not in the 
power of the surveyor-general or his deputies timely to detect." 
[Marbury and Crawford's Digest of the Laws of Georgia, p. 313, 
314.] 

Section 180. 

Lands for Protestants — South Carolina, 1738. 

" His most sacred majesty has been graciously pleased, by war- 
rant bearing date the twentieth day of July, in the year of our Lord 
one thousand seven hundred and thirty-eight, to order and direct 
that the surveyor-general of the lands in this, his province of 
South Carolina, do survey and lay out unto John Cartwright, of 
the parish of St. James, within the liberty of Westminster, in the 
county of Middlesex, gentleman, and his associates, two hundred 
thousand acres of land, between the rivers Santee and Wateree, in 
four different parcels of fifty thousand acres each, and to be laid 
out as contiguous as may be, but none of them to be at a greater 
distance than ten miles from some other of them ; provided/' etc., 
" and provided that the said John Cartwright and his associates do 
pay the usual fees for passing the said grants, and do settle on the 
said lands one thousand protestants within the space of ten years 
from the date of the said grants." [Statutes of South Carolina, 
iii. 593.] 

By an act of June 14, 1751, the sum of "six pounds, procla- 
mation money," was promised to " every poor protestant whatever 
from Europe, or other poor protestant (his majesty's subject) of 
good character," and " above the age of twelve and under the age 



REGULATIONS CONCERNING LANDS. 143 

of fifty years," who became, within three years after the passage of 
the act, a settler on certain lands in the province, and "within 
forty miles of the sea-coast." [lb. 741.] 



Section 181. 

Instructions to the Surveyor-General — Carolina, 1715. 

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that the 
surveyor-general and his deputy shall observe in surveying and lay- 
ing out of all lands to be taken up from henceforward, that lie on a 
navigable river or creek, that he shall run a full mile on a direct 
course into the woods, and each opposite line shall run parallel with 
the other, if it can be admitted for other people's lines, or rivers or 
creeks; and for all lands taken up wholly in the woods the survey 
shall be upon a square, if it can be admitted as aforesaid. 

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that no- 
surveyor or deputy-surveyor, from and after the time aforesaid, 
shall survey or lay out more than six hundred and forty acres of 
land in one tract, nor shall survey or lay out two several tracts of 
land for any one person within two miles at least of each other, un- 
less by particular warrant from the lords proprietors for that pur- 
pose. [Martin's Laws of North Carolina, i. 15.] 



Section 182. 

Holding Large Tracts of Land— South Carolina, 1725. 

The preamble to " An act for the better settling and strength- 
ening of this province" contains the following passage : 

" Whereas, the engrossing and holding of large tracts of land,, 
unimproved, by several persons, is very detrimental to the well 
settling of this province ; and whereas, it is found by experience 
that the number of white people for that reason have not increased, 
and it being very necessary that some further measures should be 
taken for the importation of white people, in order to the better 
settling and strengthening of this province, we therefore pray your 



.144 REGULATIONS CONCERNING LANDS. 

most sacred majesty that it may be enacted," etc. The act required 
every owner of two thousand acres of land to " furnish one in- 
dented servant to serve in the militia" of the province ; "and for 
•every thousand acres more, one other indented servant," such ser- 
vants to be accoutered u according to the militia act," and to ap- 
pear in the militia every six months, " and no oftener, except on 
alarms and general musters." [Statutes of South Carolina, in. 
255.] 

Section 183. 

Purchasing Lands from Indians — South Carolina, 1739. 

The preamble to "An act to restrain and prevent the purchas- 
ing of land from Indians," says : 

" Forasmuch as the practice of purchasing lands from Indians 
may prove of very dangerous consequence to the peace and safety 
of this province, such purchases being generally obtained from 
Indians by unfair representations, fraud and circumvention, or by 
making them gifts or presents of little value, by which practices 
great resentments and animosities have been created amongst the 
Indians towards the inhabitants of this province." [Statutes of 
South Carolina, iii. 525.] 

Section 184. 

Townships— South Carolina, 1739. 

In 1739 several townships, each containing twenty thousand 
acres, were marked out for distinct parishes. [Statutes of South 
Carolina, i. 430.] 

Section 185. 

Settlement of Lands — Virginia, 1748. 

"And for the better explaining and ascertaining what shall be a 
sufficient seating, cultivation and improvement, to save lands from 
becoming lapsed or forfeited, it is hereby further enacted and de- 
clared that every survey of lands intended to be patented shall be 



REGULATIONS CONCERNING LANDS. 145 

made and returned by a sworn surveyor, duly commissioned for 
that purpose, and that the breadth of every tract so to be surveyed 
shall be one third at least in proportion to the length thereof, ex- 
cept where the courses shall be interrupted by rivers, creeks or 
impassable mountains and swamps, or by the bounds of other lands 
before taken up or patented ; and that for every fifty acres of land 
which shall be granted in or by any patent hereafter to be issued, 
the patentee shall, within three years after the date of his patent, 
clear, tend and work three acres at least, and so proportionably for 
a greater or less quantity, in some part of his tract where he shall 
ithink best, or shall clear and drain three acres of swamp or sunken 
grounds or marsh, if any such be within the bounds of his tract, 
or he shall put and keep on his tract, within the time aforesaid, 
three neat cattle, or six sheep or goats, for every fifty acres, during 
the term of three years ; and that if any patentee or proprietor 
shall, within three years, as aforesaid, begin to work in digging 
any stone quarry, coal or other mine upon his tract, and continue 
the same for three years then next following, he shall, for every able 
person so employed, save one hundred acres ; and that for every 
three acres well fenced and cleared, which shall be kept and used 
for a pasture during the term of three years, the patentee shall 
save fifty acres ; and that where the patentee or proprietor of any 
lands shall, within three years as aforesaid, expend any sum or 
sums of money, or tobacco, in building houses, water-mills or 
other works, or in planting trees or quick-set hedges, or making 
any other improvements, for every five pounds current money, or 
.the value thereof, so expended, he shall save fifty acres, and so 
proportionably for a greater or lesser sum." [Hening's Statutes, 
v. 424, 425.] 

Section 186. 

Virginia, 1753. 

An act for further encouraging persons to settle on the waters 
of the Mississippi. 

I. Whereas, it will be a means of cultivating a better corres- 
pondence with the neighboring Indians, if a farther encourage- 
10 



146 BEGULATIONS CONCEENING LANDS. 

ment be given to persons who have settled, or shall settle on the 
waters of the Mississippi, in the county of Augusta; and whereas, 
a considerable number of persons, as well his majesty's natural 
born subjects as foreign protestants, are willing to come into this 
colony, with their families and effects, and settle upon the lands 
near the said waters, in case they can have such encouragement for 
so doing; and whereas, the settling that part of the country will 
add to the strength and security of the colony in general, and be a 
means of augmenting his majesty's revenue of quit rents; 

II. Be it therefore enacted by the lieutenant governor, council 
and burgesses of this present General Assembly, and it is hereby 
enacted by the authority of the same, that all persons being pro- 
testants who have already settled or shall hereafter settle and reside 
on any lands situate to the westward of the ridge of mountains 
that divides the rivers Roanoke, James and Potomac from the 
Mississippi, in the county of Augusta, shall be and are exempted 
and discharged from the payment of all public, county and parish 
levies for the term of fifteen years next following, any law, usage 
or custom to the contrary thereof, in anywise, notwitstanding* 
[Hening's Statutes, vi. 355, 356.] 



Section 187. 

Virginia, 1754. 



A proclamation for encouraging men to enlist in his majesty's 
service for the defense and security of this colony. 

Whereas, it is determined that a fort be immediately built on 
the river Ohio, at the fork of Monongahela, to oppose any further 
encouragements [?] or hostile attempts of the French and Indians in 
their interest, and for the security and protection of his majesty's 
subjects in his colony; and as it is absolutely necessary that a suffi- 
cient force should be raised to erect and support the same ; for an 
encouragement to all who shall voluntarily enter into the said ser- 
vice, I do hereby notify and promise, by and with the advice and 
consent of his majesty's council of this colony, that over and above 
their pay, two hundred thousand acres of his majesty the king of 
Great Britain's lands, on the east side of the river Ohio, within this 



REGULATIONS CONCERNING LANDS. 147 

dominion (one hundred thousand acres whereof to be contiguous 
to said fort, and the other hundred thousand acres to be on or near 
the river Ohio) shall be laid oif and granted to such persons, who 
by their voluntary engagement and good behavior in the said ser- 
vice shall deserve the same. And I further promise that the said 
lands shall be divided amongst them, immediately after the per- 
formance of the said service, in a proportion due to their respective 
merit, as shall be represented to me by their officers, and held and 
enjoyed by them without paying any rights, and also free from 
the payment of quit rents, for the term of fifteen years; and I do 
appoint this proclamation to be read and published, at the court 
houses, churches and chapels in each county within this colony, 
and that the sheriffs take care the same be done accordingly. 

Given at the council chamber in Williamsburgh, on the 19th 
day of February, in the twenty-seventh year of his majesty's reign, 
Annoque Domini 1754. God save the king. 

Robert Dinwiddie. 
[Hening's Statutes, vii. 621, 622.] 



Section 188. 

An Act to Prevent Hunting on Indian Lands — Pennsylvania, 1760. 

" Whereas, many disorderly people have made it a practice of 
hunting on the lands not yet purchased of the Indians, to their 
great damage and dissatisfaction, which may be attended with fatal 
consequences to the peace and welfare of this province, by destroy- 
ing that union and harmony which this government has lately re- 
stored and concluded with the Indians at a very great expense ; and, 
whereas, many of the industrious inhabitants on the frontiers of this 
province are thereby discouraged from returning and settling upon 
the plantations which they were obliged to leave and evacuate dur- 
ing the late Indian incursions ; therefore, to remedy the great 
mischiefs which may ensue from the continuance of this evil prac- 
tice, be it enacted, that if any person or persons whatsoever, either 
singly or in companies, after the passing of this act, shall presume 
to hunt, chase, or follow any deer, buck, doe, fawn, or any other 
wild beast, wild fowl, or game, whatsoever, or shall set traps for 



148 REGULATIONS CONCERNING LANDS. 

beaver or other beasts, without the limits of the lands purchased of 
the Indians by the proprietaries of this province, such person or 
persons so offending and being thereof legally convicted in any court 
of quarter sessions of the county where such offenders shall be ap- 
prehended (in which said court the same offense is hereby made 
cognizable), by the oath or affirmation of one or more witnesses, or 
by the confession of the party, every person so offending, shall for- 
feit and pay for every such offense the sum of fifty pounds, or suf- 
fer twelve months imprisonment." [Dallas' Laws of Pennsylva- 
nia, i. 390, 391.] 



Section 189. 

Lands Reserved for the Use of Indians — 1763. 

Extract from the proclamation of the king : 

And, whereas, it is just and reasonable, and essential to our 
interest and the security of our colonies, that the several nations 
or tribes of Indians with whom we are connected, and who live 
under our protection, should not be molested or disturbed in the 
possession of such parts of our dominions and territories as, not 
having been ceded or purchased by us, are reserved to them, or 
any of them, as their hunting grounds, we do, therefore, with the 
advice of our privy council, declare it to be our royal will and 
pleasure that no governor or commander-in-chief in any of our 
-colonies of Quebec, East Florida or West Florida, do presume, 
upon any pretense whatever, to grant warrants of survey, or pass 
any patents, for lands beyond the bounds of their respective gov- 
ernments, as described in their commissions ; as also that no gov- 
ernor or commander-in-chief in any of our colonies or plantations 
in America do presume, for the present and until our future pleas- 
ure be known, to grant warrants of survey or pass patents for any 
lands beyond the heads or sources of any of the rivers which fall 
into the Atlantic ocean from the west and northwest, or upon any 
lands, whatever, which, not having been ceded to or purchased by 
us, as aforesaid, are reserved to the said Indians or any of them. 

And we do further declare it to be our royal will and pleasure 
for the present, as aforesaid, to reserve under our sovereignty, pro- 



REGULATIONS CONCERNING LANDS. 149 

tection and dominion, for the use of the .said Indians, all the lands 
and territories not included within the limits of our said three 
new governments, or within the limits of the territory granted 
to the Hudson's Bay Company, as also all the lands and terri- 
tories lying to the westward of the sources of the rivers which 
fall into the sea from the west and northwest, as aforesaid ; and we 
do hereby strictly forbid, on pain of our displeasure, all our loving 
subjects from making any purchases or settlements whatever, or 
taking possession of any of the lands above reserved, without our 
special leave and license for that purpose first obtained. 

And we do further strictly enjoin and require all persons what- 
ever, who have either wilfully or inadvertently seated themselves 
upon any lands within the countries above described, or upon any 
other lands, which, not having been ceded to or purchased by us, 
are still reserved to the said Indians, as aforesaid, forthwith to re- 
move themselves from such settlements. [Hening's Statutes, viL 
666, 667.] 

Section 190. 

Opinion of the High Court of Chancery of Virginia. 

Extract: "Between the king's proclamation in 1763, and the 
governor's order in council, of December, 1773, all other people, 
as well as mere settlers, were restrained from obtaining grants of 
land on the western waters. This restraint is conceived to have 
been unlawful. Lands, before they were granted, were indeed 
called the king's lands ; but he was only the dispenser of them to 
others, being unable to appropriate, by his single act, one acre to 
his own use ; and, on the contrary, being bound to grant them to 
those who were proceeding, in the course prescribed by law, to ac- 
quire exclusive ownership of them, and who, if not obstructed in 
that course, would have been complete proprietors. Those who 
affirm the regal territorial dominion to have been other than that 
which is now defined, if they attempt to maintain it by adjudica- 
tions of English courts, or even of American courts before the 
late revolution, or by acts of English governors, are warned that 
the authorities of those documents in this question is denied." 
[Decisions of Cases in Virginia, by the High Court of Chancery 
(by George Wythe), p. 40, Richmond, 1795.] 



150 REGULATIONS CONCERNING LANDS. 

Section 191. 

Land Bounties to Officers and Soldiers — 1763. 

Extract from the proclamation of the king. 

" And whereas, we are desirous, upon all occasions, to testify 
our royal sense and approbation of the conduct and bravery of the 
officers and soldiers of our armies, and to reward the same, we do 
hereby command and empower our governors of the said three 
new colonies, and all other our governors of our said provinces on 
the continent of North America, to grant, without fee or reward, to 
such reduced officers as have served in North America during the 
late war, and to such private soldiers as have been or shall be dis- 
banded in America and are actually residing there and shall per- 
sonally apply for the same, the following quantities of lands, sub- 
ject at the expiration of ten years to the same quit rents as other 
lands are subject to in the province within which they are granted, 
as also subject to the same conditions of cultivation and improve- 
ment, viz : 

"To every person having the rank of a field officer, five thou- 
sand acres; to every captain, three thousand acres; to every subal- 
tern or staff officer, two thousand acres; to every non-commissioned 
officer, two hundred acres ; to every private man, fifty acres. 

" We do likewise authorize and require the governors and com- 
manders-in-chief of all our said colonies upon the continent of 
North America to grant the like quantities of land, and upon the 
same conditions, to such reduced officers of our navy, of like rank, 
as served on board our ships of war in North America at the times 
of the reduction of Louisbourg and Quebec, in the late war, and 
who shall personally apply to our respective governors for such 
grants." [Hening's Statutes, vii. 666.] 



Section 192. 

Notice to Settlers on Indian Lands — Pennsylvania, 1766. 

The following notice to settlers on Indian lands was published 
in June, 1766, by Alexander Mackey, who commanded a party 
of the forty-second regiment at Redstone creek, Pennsylvania: 

" In consequence of several complaints made by the savages 



REGULATIONS CONCERNING LANDS. 151 

against the people who have presumed to inhabit some part of the 
country west of the Allegheny mountain, which by treaty belongs 
to them, and had never been purchased, and which is contrary to 
his majesty's royal proclamation, his excellency, the commander-in- 
chief, out of compassion to your ignorance, before he proceeds to 
extremity, have been pleased to order me, with a detachment 
from the garrison of Fort Pitt, to come here and collect you to- 
gether, to inform you of the lawless and licentious manner in 
which you behave, and to order you all to return to your several 
provinces without delay, which I am to do in the presence of some 
Indian chiefs, now along with me. I therefore desire you will all 
come to this place, along with the bearer, who I have sent on pur- 
pose to collect you together. 

"His excellency, the commander-in-chief, has ordered, in case 
you should remain after this notice, to seize and make prize of all 
goods and merchandise brought on this side of the Allegheny 
mountain, or exposed to sale to Indians at any place except at his 
majesty's garrison ; that goods thus seized will be a lawful prize, 
and become the property of the captors. The Indians will be 
encouraged in this way of doing themselves justice, and if accidents 
should happen, you lawless people must look upon yourselves as 
the cause of whatever may be the consequence hurtful to your per- 
sons and estates ; and if this should not be sufficient to make you 
return to your several provinces, his excellency, the commander-in- 
chief, will order an armed force to drive you from the lands you 
have taken possession of to the westward of the Allegheny moun- 
tain, the property of the Indians, till such time as his majesty may 
be pleased to fix a further boundary. 

" Such people as won't come to this place are to send their 
names and the province they belong to, and what they are to do, 
by the bearer, that his excellency, the commander-in-chief, may be 
acquainted with their intentions. 

" I am yours, etc., Alexander Mackey, 

"Commanding a party of the 42d Reg't. 

" To all whom it may concern. 

"Redstone Creek, June 22, 1766." 
[Pennsylvania Archives, 1760-1776, iv. p. 251; Colonial Records, 
vol. ix. p. 327.] 



152 REGULATIONS CONCERNING LANDS. 

Section 193. 

Proclamation Concerning Settlers on Indian Lands — Virginia, 1766. 

On the 31st of July, 1766, Francis Fauquier, " his majesty's 
lieutenant-governor and commander-in-chief " of the colony and 
dominion of Virginia, published the following proclamation : 

"Whereas, I have lately received letters from his excellency 
Major-General Gage, and Major William Murraye, commanding 
officer at Fort Pitt, informing me that several people of Virginia 
have seated themselves on lands belonging to the Indians, to the 
westward of the Allegheny mountains, and contiguous to the river 
Cheek, in disobedience to his majesty's commands (notified by two 
proclamations of the 7th of October, 1763, and the 10th of April,. 
1766), in violation of the friendship subsisting between us and the 
said Indians, and in contempt of the dreadful consequences which 
I am warned are to be suddenly apprehended from such unjust and 
licentious proceedings, I have, therefore, to put a stop to these and 
all other the like encroachments for the future, thought fit, by and 
with the advice of his majesty's council, to issue this proclamation 
in his majesty's name ; hereby strictly enjoining and requiring all 
persons who have made such settlements immediately to evacuate 
the same and to pay the strictest obedience hereafter to his maj- 
esty's commands herein signified ; which, if they shall fail to do, they 
must expect no protection or mercy from government, and be ex- 
posed to the revenge of the exasperated Indians. 

" Given under my hand and the seal of the colony, at Williams- 
burg, this 31st day of July, 1766, and in the sixth year of his maj- 
esty's reign. God save the king. 

"Francis Fauquier." 

[Pennsylvania Archives, 1760-1776, iv. p. 255; Pennsylvania 
Colonial Records, ix. p. 340.] 



Section 194. 



Pennsylvania, in 1768, Declares that Certain Settlers on Indian Lands "Shall 
Suffer Death without the Benefit of Clergy." 

Extract from an act of the General Assembly of the province 
of Pennsylvania, passed on the 3d day of February, 1768 : 



REGULATIONS CONCERNING LANDS. 15$ 

"Whereas, many disorderly people, in violation of his maj- 
esty's proclamation, have presumed to settle upon lands not yet 
purchased from the Indians, to their damage and great dissatisfac- 
tion, which may be attended with dangerous and fatal conse- 
quences to the peace and safety of this province, be it therefore 
enacted by the Honorable John Penn, Esquire, lieutenant-gover- 
nor under the Honorable Thomas Penn and Kichard Penn, true 
and absolute proprietaries of the province of Pennsylvania and 
counties of New Castle, Kent and Sussex upon Delaware, by and 
with the advice and consent of the representatives of the freemen 
of the said province, in General Assembly met, and by the author- 
ity of the same, that if any person or persons settled upon any 
lands within the boundaries of this province, not purchased of the 
Indians by the proprietaries thereof, shall neglect or refuse to re- 
move themselves and families off and from the same lands within 
the space of thirty days after he or they shall be required so to do,, 
either by such persons as the governor of the said province shall 
appoint for that purpose, or by his proclamation to be set up in the* 
most public places of the settlements on such unpurchased lands,, 
or if any person or persons being so removed shall afterward re- 
turn to his or their settlement, or the settlement of any other per- 
son, with his or their family, or without any family, to remain and 
settle on such lands, or if any person shall, after the said notice to- 
be given as aforesaid, reside and settle on such lands, every such 
person or persons so neglecting or refusing to remove his or their 
family, or returning to settle as aforesaid, or that shall settle on 
any such lands after the requisition or notice aforesaid, being 
thereof legally convicted, by their own confession or the verdict of 
a jury, shall suffer death without the benefit of clergy : provided^ 
always, nevertheless, that nothing herein contained shall be deemed 
or construed to extend to any person or persons who now are or 
hereafter may be settled on the main roads or communications 
leading through this province to Fort Pitt, under the approbation, 
and permission of the commander-in-chief of his majesty's forces 
in North America, or of the chief officer commanding in the west- 
ern district to the Ohio, for the time being, for the more conve- 
nient accommodation of the soldiery or others, or to such person or 
persons as are or shall be settled in the neighborhood of Fort Pitt, 



154 REGULATIONS CONCERNING LANDS. 

under the approbation and permission aforesaid, or to a settlement 
made by George Croghan, Esquire, deputy superintendent of In- 
dian affairs under Sir William Johnson, on the Ohio above the 
said fort, anything herein contained to the contrary in anywise not- 
withstanding." * * * 

" This act shall continue in force during the term of one year, 
and from thence to the next sitting of Assembly, and no longer." 
[Pennsylvania Archives, 1760-1776, iv. p. 283; Pennsylvania 
Colonial Records, ix. 481.] 



Section 195. 

An Act to Prevent Settling on Indian Lands — Pennsylvania, 1769. 

"Whereas, many disorderly persons have presumed to settle 
upon lands not purchased of the Indians, which has occasioned great 
uneasiness and dissatisfaction on the part of the said Indians, and 
have been attended with dangerous consequences to the peace and 
safety of this province ; for remedy of which mischief, be it enacted, 
that if any person or persons, after the publication of this act, either 
singly or in companies, shall presume to settle upon any lands within 
€he boundaries of this province not purchased of the Indians, or 
shall make or cause any survey to be made of any part thereof, or 
mark or cut down any trees thereon, with design to settle or appro- 
priate the same to his own or the use of any other person or per- 
sons whatsoever, every such person or persons so offending, being 
legally convicted thereof in any court of quarter sessions of the 
county where such offenders shall be apprehended (in which said 
court the said offenses are hereby made cognizable), shall forfeit 
and pay for every such offense the sum of five hundred pounds, and 
suffer twelve months imprisonment without bail or mainprise ; and 
shall moreover, find surety for his good behavior during the space 
of twelve months from and after the expiration of the term of such 
imprisonment ; one moiety of the said sum of money to the prose- 
cutor and the other moiety to the overseers of the poor of the city 
or township where such offender shall be apprehended, to the use 
of the poor thereof." [ Dallas' Laws of Pennsylvania, i. 503, 504.] 



REGULATIONS CONCERNING LANDS. 155 

Section 196. 

In an official document dated " Philadelphia, January 30, 1775," 
the governor of the province of Pennsylvania, says : " The lands 
are held under patents from the proprietaries, and yearly quit rents 
of various denominations, the highest one penny per acre, a great 
part only half a penny, and many of the old patents under a small 
acknowledgement of corn or wheat, etc." [Pennsylvania Archives 
(1775), p. 595.] 

Section 197. 

For the relief of settlers on certain western lands the General 
Assembly of Virginia, in 1779, passed an act from which the fol- 
lowing preamble is copied: 

" Whereas, great numbers of people have settled in the country 
upon the western waters, upon waste and unappropriated lands, for 
which they have been hitherto prevented from suing out patents or 
obtaining legal titles, by the king of Great Britain's proclamation, 
or instructions to his governors, or by the late change of govern- 
ment, and the present war having delayed until now the opening 
of land offices and the establishment of any certain terms for grant- 
ing lands, and it is just that those settling under such circum- 
stances should have some reasonable allowance for the charges and 
risks they have incurred, and that the property so acquired should 
be secured to them, be it therefore enacted," etc. The act granted 
four hundred acres of land to the several families who had made 
bona fide settlements "upon any waste or unappropriated lands on 
the said western waters" before " the first day of January, in the 
year one thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight." [Hening's 
Statutes, x. p. 38.] 



Section 198. 

Early French Grants of Land in Canada and in Louisiana. 

Extract from letters patent, granted in 1598, by the king of 
France, to the Sieur de La Roche, the king's " lieutenant-general 
and governor" in the countries of Canada, etc.: 



156 REGULATIONS CONCERNING LANDS. 

" We have given him authority, as respects the said lands so to 
be acquired for us in the course of the said voyage, to grant the 
same in full property to all those to whom he may concede them, 
that is to say, to gentlemen and those whom he shall consider per- 
sons of merit, in the form of fiefs, seigniories, chattelenies, earl- 
doms, viscounties, baronies, and other dignities, to be held of us 
in such manner as he shall consider due to the services performed 
by the respective parties, on the condition that they shall aid in the 
support and defense of the countries, and to other persons of in- 
ferior rank, on such dues and annual rent as he may deem just, of 
which we agree that they shall remain quit and discharged for the 
first six years, or such other period as our said lieutenant shall be- 
lieve to be right and necessary, excepting always the duty and ser- 
vice in the event of war." [Lower Canada Seigniorial Tenure.] 



Section 199. 

French Land Grant in 1686. 

Among official documents recently published in Canada ap- 
pears the following translation of a land grant that was made in 
1686, for a missionary station on the border of the river St. Joseph 
of Lake Michigan : 

" Jacques Rene de Brisay, knight, Marquis of Denonville, gov- 
ernor and lieutenant-general for the king in Canada, and Jean 
Bochart, knight, seignior of Champigny, Noroy and Verneuii, 
king's councilor, intendant of justice, police and finances in the 
said country. 

"To all who these presents shall see, greeting: We do hereby 
make known that, on what has been represented to us by the R. F, 
Dablon, superior of all the missions of the Society of Jesus in this 
country, stating that since many years different missionaries of the 
said society have penetrated into the depths of the forests and trav- 
eled along rivers with the view of carrying the faith into the midst 
of the distant tribes of Indians who inhabit this large portion of 
the world, and principally Father d'Alloys, who has resided for 
twenty-two years in the countries inhabited by the Illinois, Miha- 
mis, Otawas, and other nations, where he has settled missions, and 



REGULATIONS CONCERNING LANDS. 10 7 

more especially one on the river called Mihamis, named since St. 
Joseph, falling into the south of Lake Illinois or Ontagamis, 
where there is a chapel and a mission, on which said river the said 
Reverend Father Dablon is desirous that the said Father d'AUoys, 
or some other missionary, should continue to perform the exercises 
of religion for the instruction of the heathen nations who inhabit 
the said country, and for that purpose praying that it might be our 
pleasure to grant him a tract of land, on which he might erect a 
chapel and a dwelling house and sow a certain quantity of grain 
and vegetables for the maintenance of the missionaries who may 
reside therein, and in order also to help the French who may trade 
in the said country. In consideration thereof, and under and in 
virtue of the power entrusted to us by his majesty, we have given 
and conceded unto the said Reverend Father Dablon and other 
missionaries, a tract of land of twenty arpents in front, on the 
said St. Joseph, by twenty arpents in depth, at the spot which 
they shall find the most convenient to build the said chapel and 
•dwelling house and to sow grain and vegetables ; to have and 
to hold the said tract of land unto the said missionaries for- 
ever, subject, on their part, to the condition that they shall be 
held to build thereon a chapel and a dwelling house within three 
years, and to reside thereon, and that they shall give notice to the 
king of the mines, ores and minerals which may be found therein, 
and to have these presents confirmed by his majesty within the 
said space of three years. 

" In testimony whereof, we have signed the present concession, 
and caused the same to be sealed with our seal-at-arms, and coun- 
tersigned by our secretaries. 

u Done at Quebec, the first day of October, one thousand six 
hundred and eighty-six. 

"Signed, L. M. de Denonville. 

BOCHART CHAMPIGNY. 

" By command of their lordships. 
u Signed, Fredin." 

Section 200. 

Early Spanish Grants of Land in Florida, etc. 

An early ordinance, which was issued to regulate the granting 



158 KEGULATIONS CONCERNING LANDS. 

of lands to settlers in Spanish provinces, contains the following 
provisions : 

"And, as it may happen that, in distributing the lands, there 
may be a doubt as to the measurements, we declare that a peas- 
ant's portion is a lot of fifty feet in breadth and one hundred in 
depth, arable land, capable of producing one hundred fanegas of 
wheat and ten of Indian corn ; as much land as two oxen can 
plough in a day, for the raising of esculent roots, and eight of 
woodland ; pasture land for eight breeding sows, twenty cows and 
five mares, one hundred sheep and twenty goats. A gentleman's 
portion (caballeria) is a lot of one hundred feet in breadth and two 
hundred in depth, and all the remainder five times the peasant's 
portion (peonia) to wit : arable land, capable of producing five 
hundred fanegas of wheat or barley ; fifty of Indian corn ; as much 
land as ten oxen can plough in a day, for raising esculent roots, and 
eight of woodland; pasture land for fifty breeding sows, one hun- 
dred cows, twenty mares, five hundred sheep and one hundred 
goats; and we direct that the distribution be made in such form as 
that all may participate in the good or middling, and of that kind 
of which there may not be any in that part which shall be pointed 
out to each." [Land Laws of United States, p. 994.] 



Section 201. 

Grants of Land in Louisiana — 1727. 

Extract from a letter written by the missionary Du Poisson, 
dated "At Akensas [Arkansas], 3d October, 1727:" 

"They call a 'grant' a certain extent of territory 'granted' by 
the India Company to one person alone, or to many who have joined 
together in a partnership, to clear the lands and to make them 
valuable. These were the persons who, in the days of the great 
Mississippi bubble, were called the counts and marquises of the Mis- 
sissippi ; thus the grantees are the aristocracy of this country. The 
greater part have never left France, but have equipped ships filled 
with directors, stewards, store-keepers, clerks, workmen of different 
trades, provisions and goods of all kinds. Their business was to 
penetrate into the woods, to build their cabins there, to make choice 



EEGULATIONS CONCERNING LANDS. 159* 

of land, and to burn the canes and trees. These beginnings seemed 
too hard to people not accustomed to such kind of labor. The di- 
rectors and their subalterns, for the most part, amused themselves 
in places where there were some French already settled; there they 
consumed their provisions, and the work was scarcely commenced' 
before the grant was entirely ruined. The workman, badly paid or 
badly fed, refused to labor, or else seized his own pay, and the stores 
were plundered. Was not all this perfectly French? * * * 

"They call a 'plantation' a smaller portion of land granted by 
the company. A man with his wife, or with his associate, clears a 
small section, builds him a house with four forked sticks, which he 
covers with bark, plants some corn and rice for his food ; another 
year he raises more provisions and begins a plantation of tobacco, 
and if finally he attains to the possession of three or four negroes, 
behold the extent to which he can reach. This is what they call a 
plantation and a planter. But how many are as wretched as when 
they commenced. 

" They call a ' settlement* a section in which there are many 
plantations not far distant from each other, forming a kind of vil- 
lage. Besides these grantees and planters, there are also in this 
country people who have no other business than that of vagabond- 
izing." [ Kip's Early Jesuit Missions, p. 233.] 



Section 202. 

Form of Spanish Land Grants. 

" That part should be regarded as the front of the land which 
faces to the best side, namely : first, on rivers ; second, on naviga- 
ble creeks ; and third, on roads ; and the depth will be the longi- 
tudinal extension back. All lands that depend, or have depended, 
on the grant of government, should have been and must be 
bounded in rectangular parallelograms, whose front line will be 
one-third of that of the depth, or as nearly so as possible, for the 
purpose of not leaving empty spaces of less than ten chains in 
front." [Land Laws of United States, p. 1004.] 

The French authorities in North America were governed by a 
similar rule in making grants of lands lying on the borders of 
navigable streams. 



PART VI. 

colonial laws relating to indians. 

Section 203. 

Indians. 

The question of the origin of the aborigines of the continent 
of America is still under discussion among ethnologists, some of 
whom adopt the opinion of Pritchard, and say that there is noth- 
ing, either in the bodily structure or psychology of the American 
tribes, to prove an independent origin. 

In a paper which appears in the Smithsonian Contributions to 
Knowledge (vol. 8, p. 5), Dr. Nott discusses the origin of the 
American Indians, and presents his conclusions substantially in the 
following form : 

1. That the continent of America was unknown, not only to 
the ancient Egyptians and Chinese, but to the more modern Greeks 
and Romans. 

2. That, at the time of its discovery, this continent was popu- 
lated by millions of people resembling each other, possessing pecu- 
liar moral and physical characteristics, and in utter contrast with 
any people of the old world. 

3. That the races were found surrounded everywhere by ani- 
mals and plants specifically different from those of the old world, 
and created, as it is conceded, in America. 

4. That these races were found speaking severel hundred lan- 
guages, which, although resembling each other in grammatical 
structure, differed in general entirely in their vocabularies, and 
were all radically distinct from the languages of the old world. 

(160) 



LAWS RELATING TO INDIANS. 161 

o. That their monuments, as seen in their architecture, sculp- 
ture, earth-works, shell-banks, etc., from their extent, dissemina- 
tion and incalculable numbers, furnish evidence of very high an- 
tiquity. 

6. That the state of decomposition in which skeletons of the 
mounds are found, and, above all, the peculiar anatomical struc- 
ture of the few remaining crania, prove these mound-builders to 
have been both ancient and indigenous to the soil ; because Amer- 
ican crania, antique as well as modern, are unlike those of any 
other race of ancient or recent times. 

7. That the aborigines of America possessed no alphabet or 
truly phonetic system of writing; that they possessed none of the 
domestic animals, nor many of the oldest arts of the eastern hem- 
isphere, while their agricultural plants were indigenous. 

8. That their system of arithmetic was unique; that their 
astronomical knowledge, in the main, was indubitably of cis- 
Atlantic origin, while their calendar was unlike that of any peo- 
ple, ancient or modern, of the other hemisphere. 

" Whatever exceptions," says Dr. Nott, " may be taken to any 
of these propositions separately, it must be conceded that, when 
viewed together, they form a mass of cumulative testimony, carry- 
ing the aborigines of America back to the remotest period of man's 
existence on earth." 



Section 204. 

Theory of Jewish Origin of American Indians. 

The opinion that the American Indians are descendants of the 
Jews has been supported (by Adair and other authors) mainly on 
the following grounds : 

1. Their division into tribes. 

2. Their worship of one great spirit. 

3. Their belief in ministering angels. 

4. Their orders of prophets and high priests. 

5. Their manner of counting time. 

6. Their festivals, fasts and other religious rites. 

7. Their laws of uncleanness. 
11 



162 LAWS KELATING TO INDIANS. 

8. Their ablutions and anointings. 

9. Their customs relative to marriage, divorce and adultery. 
10. Their purifications and ceremonies before going to war. 

12. Their manner of curing the sick. 

13. Their ceremonies at the burial of their dead. 

14. Their mourning for their dead. 

15. Their choice of names adapted to circumstances and times* 

16. Their patriarchal form of government. 

17. Their belief in a future state of existence. 

18. Their belief in witchcraft, etc., etc. 

Schoolcraft says : " We have traditionary gleams of a foreign 1 
origin of the race of North American Indians from separate stocks- 
of nations, extending at intervals from the Arctic circle to the- 
valley of Mexico. They point decidedly to a foreign, to an ori- 
ental, if not a Shemitic origin. Such an origin has, from the firsts 
been inferred. At whatever point the investigation has been* 
made, the eastern hemisphere has been found to contain the phys- 
ical and mental prototypes of the race. Language, mythology, re- 
ligious dogmas, the very style of architecture and their calendar^ 
as far as it is yet developed, point to that fruitful and central 
source of human dispersion and nationality." 

In a letter addressed to Thomas Jefferson, on the 28th of June y 
1812, John Adams says: " Whether serpents' teeth were sown 
here and sprung up men ; whether men and women dropped from 
the clouds upon this Atlantic island ; whether the Almighty cre- 
ated them here, or whether they emigrated from Europe, are ques- 
tions of no moment to the present or future happiness of man. 
Neither agriculture, commerce, manufactures, fisheries, science,, 
literature, taste, religion, morals, nor any other good will be pro- 
moted, or any evil averted, by any discoveries that can be made in 
answer to these questions." [Works of John Adams, vol. x. p. 17.] 

Christopher Columbus, in describing some of the Indians of 
North America to Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, said : " I 
swear to your majesties that there is not a better people in the 
world than these — more affectionate, affable or mild. They love 
their neighbors as themselves. Their language is the sweetest, 
the softest and the most cheerful, for they always speak smiling; 



LAWS RELATING TO INDIANS. 163 

and although they go naked, let your majesties believe me, they 
are very becoming." [Macgregor's Progress of America, i. 69.] 

The missionary Hennepin, who visited the valley of the Mis- 
sissippi in 1680, says : 

" Generally speaking, all the savages of the nations I have 
seen in the Northern America have an extreme indifference for all 
things. They have no particular attachment to anything, and set 
no great value upon the most precious things they have. They look 
upon everything as very much below them ; and if they had a 
thousand crowns, or anything of equal value, they would part with 
it without trouble, and give it all to have what they desire. But 
of all the northern nations there is none so indifferent as the Iro- 
quois. They look upon themselves as masters of other people, and 
have often dared to declare war against the French in Canada, and 
would have conquered it if they had known their forces. 

"Their indifference is such that there is nothing like it under 
the copes of heaven. They have a great complaisance for all that 
is said to them, and in appearance do all seriously you entreat 
them to do. When we say to them, ' Pray to God with us/ they 
presently do it, and answer, word for word, according to the pray- 
ers they have been taught in their tongue. ' Kneel down' — they 
kneel. ' Take off your bonnet' — they take it off. ' Hold your 
tongue' — they do it. If one say to them, ' Hear me' — they hearken 
diligently. If one give them some image, crucifix or beads, they 
use them as jewels to adorn themselves with. When I said to 
them, ' To-morrow is Sunday, or prayer day/ they answered me, 
i Niaora' — ' that's well — I am content.' I said to them sometimes, 
' Promise the Great Master of Life never to be drunk any more ;" 
they answered, ' Netho' — ( I promise you I'll commit no more such 
folly;' but as soon as they got aqua vitse or other strong liquors, 
which they trucked with the French, English or Hollanders for 
their furs, they began afresh to be drunk. 

"It's necessary to civilize this nation before they be made to 
embrace the Christian faith. If they be not under the yoke, it's in 
vain to labor for their conversion, unless God, by a particular 
grace, should do some miracle in favor of this people. This is all 
I can say upon this subject, founded upon the experience I, as well 



164 LAWS RELATING TO INDIANS. 

as many other Recolects, have had of them." [Hennepin's Trav- 
els (London ed. 1699), p. 123.] 

The first volume of the Proceedings of the Historical Society 
of Pennsylvania contains an article entitled, " Some Remarks and 
Annotations concerning the Traditions, Customs, Languages, etc., 
of the Indians of North America, from the Memoirs of the Rev. 
David Leisberger and other Missionaries of the United Brethren." 
From this article the following statements are compiled: 

The Indians say : Our forefathers knew that there is a God, 
who has made men and all things, before any white man came to 
this continent. The old men told the younger, that God is al- 
mighty — that he can do what he pleases. • They made offerings to 
him, as a great being, who gave them all good things. Of the 
Devil they knew nothing; now all Indians believe in a spirit that 
does all evil. 

Priests they had none, but the oldest men admonished others 
not to murder, not to steal, not to whore, not to cheat one another, 
and said that such as observed their rules would come to a better 
place after death, but the other to a bad, dark place. 

They directed their children in their prayers to turn their face 
towards the east, because God hath his dwelling on the other side 
of the rising sun. 

They had some confused notion of the flood, and said all men 
were once drowned, only a few got on the back of an old big tor- 
toise, floating on the water ; that a diver at last brought them some 
earth in his bill, and directed the tortoise to a small spot of ground, 
where they alighted and multiplied again. Therefore has the 
great Tortoise tribe the preference among the tribes. 

Of their origin, or coming into this country, some old Mingoes 
relate that they lived under the earth, in great darkness and saw 
no sun; they hunted, but got nothing; they lived upon linowa 
(mice), which they killed with their hands; the ground-hog had 
worked a hole through the ground, through which some of them 
crept out, ran about upon the earth, and finding a dead deer, they 
brought the meat into the earth ; the good taste of it, and the ac- 
count how light and fine it was upon the earth, brought them to 
the resolution to go out of their dark place; some stayed behind; 
J hose coming forth began to plant corn, etc. 



LAWS RELATING TO INDIANS. 165 

Others say the first man came from under the water upon this 
land. The Nantikokes say, that seven Indians found themselves 
all at once sitting on the sea-shore, not knowing where they came 
from, but from these all the Indians did come. 

Others say the first person had been a woman, which fell from 
heaven where her husband had put her away; that she was pregnant 
and bore twins, which peopled this country. That above was an- 
other world inhabited by men, and from them the Indians came. 

They say that some of their old men had prophesied that God 
would send somebody to them before ever any w T hite people came 
into this country; that they even appointed the days when they were 
looking out to sea and saw the first ship; that they adored the first 
white men ; they themselves were so stupid that they did not find 
out the use of the hatchet and other things, but used them only a& 
ornaments until the white people showed them how to make use of 
them. (Perhaps some had seen or heard of the Europeans landing 
in other places on the continent and from that pretended a fore- 
knowledge.) 

The Indians know no reason for the difference of the several 
nations, but that it must proceed from their different settlements; 
when some families settled together in a town they w T ere commonly 
called by the name of the town. 

All the nations from the east, far west and south, have but two 
original mother tongues, as far as the missionaries could find out, 
viz: the Maqua or Meugo, and the Delaware. (I suppose that is 
the language the French called Algonkin.) The five nations have 
different dialects of the Maquaish. The Hurons and Wiondots, by 
the Delawares called Delamantinos, come near the Maqua. 

The Delawares are divided in three tribes : Unamies, Unalac- 
ticos and Munzies ; the last differ much in the language with the 
first; with it agrees the Mahican and Wampanos, the Nautikok and 
Shawanese with the Delaware and Mahican, only that they lay the 
accent more on the last syllable ; the Twichtwees, "Wawiachtenos 
and Ottowas with the Shawanese, and the Chippawas with the Del- 
aware ; the Cherokees is a mixture of other languages. The Maqua 
or Mingo is much easier to learn than the Delaware. 

The five nations call the Mahicans, Delawares and all New 
England savages, Agozhagauta. 



166 LAWS KELATING TO INDIANS. 

The Delawares were called Woapanachki, that is, people from 
the east. When the Europeans came into this country they lived 
between Hudson river and Susquehannah, on both sides the river 
now called Delaware river, from whence they got the name Dela- 
wares. They themselves pretend to be the original people and bear 
the name lenni lennape, original men, and call no other nation 
lennape, but say, somebody of the Mohocks, Chippawas, Delama- 
tinos, etc. 

There is a sort of Indian corn which they call lenni chosquem, 
as they had that sort before the Europeans came; it bears short, 
rough and thick ears ; it requires less time to grow and ripen than 
other corn ; the grains are not in rows, and there grows commonly 
between two grains a third farther out. They had also beans and 
pompions and a sort of tobacco ; also a sort of original dogs, with 
short, pointed ears; they show their teeth as soon as they grow angry 
and never attack a wolf, when set on, as other dogs do. 

Their way of life in old times was very simple ; with arrows 
pointed with sharp stones they killed the deer and other creatures; 
with sharp stones they skinned and divided them. They made a 
sort of axes from stones, which they fastened to a stick to kill the 
trees where they intended to plant. They opened and worked the 
ground with a sort of hoes, taking the shoulder-blades of a deer, or 
a tortoise shell, sharpened with stones on one side, and fastening 
them to a stick. They made pots of clay mixed with powdered 
muscle shells, and burnt in the fire, to dress their victuals. Fire 
they made by friction of two pieces of hard wood. The trees for 
fire-wood they burnt down and into pieces. On their journeys they 
carried fire in punk or sponges growing on the trees, a great way. 
They burnt down great trees and shaped them into canoes by fire 
and the help of sharp stones. Men and women were dressed in skins; 
the women made themselves also petticoats of wild hemp; of that 
hemp they made twine to knit the feathers of turkeys, eagles, etc., 
into blankets. 

Their arms and weapons were bows and arrows and a heavy 
club; they used also a shield of a thick, dried buffalo skin, shaped 
round, which they held before their bodies, so that the arrows from 
their enemy were turned off by it. 

In war they raised some ramparts about their towns, and round 



LAWS KELATING TO INDIANS. 167 

liillocks, in the top of which they made a hollow place to shelter 
their women and children in, they placing themselves around and 
upon it, to fight; in such battles were commonly many killed, whom 
they buried all in a heap, covering the corpses with bark of trees, 
stones, earth, etc. On the spot where Shoenbrunn, the Christian 
Indian town, was built, one can plainly see such a wall or rampart 
of considerable extent, and not a great way off in the plain is such 
a burial place or made hillock on which now large oaks stand. 

Offerings have been usual among the Indians, time immemorial; 
they must not be neglected if they shall not be exposed to sick- 
ness and other evil. They usually have an offering feast every two 
years in a family or town. First it is resolved how many deer and 
bears shall be provided, then they go to a hunting. When they 
have the full number, they bring it to a separate house or hut pre- 
pared for it; when the meat is boiled, four waiters, who are well 
paid, serve the guests with meat and bread ; all is eaten, only some 
fat and bones are burnt. Dogs must not get anything of it. After 
-eating they dance devoutly and one sings, mentioning the elements, 
fruits of the earth, and all the gifts of God. When one has done 
singing another begins. 

Such festivals they have four or five, but they can not explain 
the names of them all. 

One of these offering festivals is in honor of the fire, which the 
Indians call their grandfather, and is called "mashtuzin," sweat- 
ing. A sweating place, in the form of a hay cock, is prepared of 
twelve poles, which must be of twelve different sorts or kinds of 
wood, each being hallowed to a manitto, creatures or fruits of the 
earth. These twelve sticks or poles, being stuck into the ground, 
are covered with blankets, so that a man may walk upright in it. 
After eating, a fire is made before the entrance of the hut. Twelve 
stones, of the bigness of a head, are made red hot in it, and so put 
into the hut. These stones get particular names; the first is called 
Getaunetowiit, the Almighty. Second, gischuohk, the sun, and so 
on. Then in some places twelve men, and in others but one of 
the oldest men, go into it and remain as long as possible ; whilst 
they are in, twelve pipes of tobacco, one after the other, are thrown 
upon the stones, or where but one man is, he goes round strewing 
tobacco upon the stones, singing ; when they come out of the hut 



168 LAWS KELATING TO INDIANS. 

they commonly lie a while in a trance. A buck's skin, with head' 
and horns, is thereby erected on a post, about which the company 
sings and prays in honor of God, as they say. 

Of cursing and swearing they know nothing — they have no 
words for it. 

In the house where a person dies the female relations meet in 
the evening after sunset and morning before sunrise, and weep 
about the corpse until it is buried. At putting the corpse into the 
grave, the women begin a great howling. The mother or grand- 
mother or near relation of the deceased visits morning and even- 
ing the grave, and weeps there, and they carry, sometimes, vict- 
uals there, laying it on the grave, which the dogs eat. 

Their doctors and conjurers are great cheats, who pretend to 
have converse with God or the Devil, and impose upon the sick 
and others to get their goods. 

There are a few Indians who have an actual knowledge of the 
virtues of roots and herbs, which they got from their forefathers, 
and can cure certain diseases, but they seldom communicate their 
secrets until they see they must soon die. 

It is an old opinion that the North American Indians were 
descendants of the lost ten tribes of the Children of Israel, whom 
Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, carried from their land far off into 
captivity. Some think that the remembrance of the Assyrians 
was the proper reason why the Indians call the Euroj>eans Asse- 
roni. There are several plausible reasons to supplant that opinion. 

They have the very same ornaments of their noses, ears, arms 
and feet mentioned in the holy Scriptures. 

They have the same way of expressing their grief and their 
joy; in comforting they speak of wiping the tears off; in remov- 
ing difficulties, of clearing the way from stumps and stones, etc. 



Section 205. 

Massachusetts — Indian Lands — 1633. 



"For settling the Indian title to lands in this jurisdiction it 
is declared and ordered by this court, and authority thereof, 
that what lands any of the Indians in this jurisdiction have pos- 



LAWS RELATING TO INDIANS. 169 

sessed and improved, by subduing the same, they have a just right 
unto, according to that in Genesis i. 28, and chapter ix, 1, and 
Psalms cxv, 16. * * * And for the further encouragement of 
the hopeful work amongst them, for the civilizing and helping 
them forward to Christianity, if any of the Indians shall be 
brought to civility, and shall come among the English to inhabit 
in any of their plantations, and shall there live civilly and orderly, 
that such Indians shall have allotments among the English, ac- 
cording to the custom of the English in like case." [Laws of 
Massachusetts (ed. of 1672), p. 74.] 



Section 206. 

Indian PowaAvs Prohibited — Massachusetts, 1633. 

"And it is ordered that no Indian shall at any time powaw or 
perform outward worship to their false gods, or to the Devil, in 
any part of our jurisdiction, whether they be such as shall dwell 
here or shall come hither ; and if any shall transgress this law,, 
the powawer shall pay five pounds, the procurer five pounds, and 
every other countenancing by his presence or otherwise (being of 
age of discretion), twenty shillings, and every town shall have 
power to restrain all Indians that shall come into their towns from 
profaning the Lord's Day." [Laws of Massachusetts (ed. 1672), 
P- 77.] 

Section 207. 

An Induction to the Acts Concerning Indians — Virginia, 1655. 

Whereas, we have been often put into great dangers by the in- 
vasions of our neighboring and bordering Indians which humanly 
have been only caused by these two particulars, our extreme press- 
ures on them and their wanting of something to hazard and lose 
beside their lives ; therefore, this Grand Assembly, on mature ad- 
vice, doth make these three ensuing acts, which, by the blessing of 
God, may prevent our dangers for the future, and be a sensible 
benefit to the whole country for the present. 
g First. For every eight wolves' heads brought in by the Indians, 



170 LAWS EELATING TO INDIANS. 

the king, or great man (as they call him), shall have a cow delivered 
to him at the charge of the public. This will be a step to civilizing 
them and to making them Christians, besides it will certainly make 
the commanding Indians watch over their own men that do us no 
injuries, knowing that by their default they may be in danger of 
losing their estates ; therefore be it enacted as aforesaid, only with 
this exception, that Acomack shall pay for no more than what are 
killed in their own county. 

Secondly. If the Indians shall bring in any children as gages 
of their good and quiet intentions to us and amity with us, then 
the parents of such children shall choose the persons to whom the 
care of such children shall be intrusted, and the country by us, 
their representatives, do engage that we will not use them as 
slaves, but do their best to bring them up in Christianity, civility 
and the knowledge of necessary trades ; and, on the report of the 
•commissioners of each respective county that those under whose 
tuition they are do really intend the bettering of the children in 
these particulars, then a salary shall be allowed to such men as 
shall deserve and require it. 

What lands the Indians shall be possessed of by order of this 
or other ensuing Assemblies, such lands shall not be alienable by 
them, the Indians, to any man de futuro, for this will put us to a 
oontinual necessity of allotting them new lands and possessions, 
and they will be always in fear of what they hold, not being able 
to distinguish between our desires to buy or enforcement to have, 
in case their grants and sales be desired ; therefore, be it enacted, 
that for the future no such alienations or bargains and sales be 
valid without the assent of the Assembly. This act not to preju- 
dice any Christian who hath land already granted by patent. 
[Hening's Statutes, i. 393.] 



Section 208. 

Against Stealing of Indians — Virginia, 1658. 

Whereas, divers informations have been given into Assemblies 
of sundry persons who, by their indirect practices, have corrupted 
some of the Indians to steal and convey away some of the children 



LAWS EELATING TO INDIANS. 171 

•of other Indians, and of others who, pretending to have bought or 
purchased Indians of their parents, or some of their great men, 
have violently and fraudulently forced them away, to the great 
scandal of Christianity and of the English nation, by such their 
perfidious dealing, rendering religion contemptible and the name 
•of Englishmen odious, and may be of very important and danger- 
ous consequence to the colony if not timely prevented, it is there- 
fore enacted that no person or persons whatsoever shall dare or 
presume to buy any Indian or Indians (viz.) from or of the En- 
glish, and in case of complaint made that any person hath trans- 
gressed this act, the truth thereof being proved, such person shall 
return such Indian or Indians, within ten days, to the place from 
whence he was taken ; and, be it further enacted, that whosoever 
shall inform against any person for breach of this act, and the in- 
formation being found against the party accused, the offender shall 
pay unto the informer five hundred pounds of tobacco, to be recov- 
ered within any court of justice in this colony. [Hening's Stat- 
utes, i. 481, 482.] 

Section 209. 

Free Trade with the Indians — Virginia, 1659. 

Whereas, it is manifest that the neighboring plantations, both 
of English and foreigners, do plentifully furnish the Indians with 
guns, powder and shot, and do thereby draw from us the trade of 
beaver, to our great loss and their profit; and besides, the Indians 
being furnished with as much of both guns and ammunition as 
they are able to purchase, it is enacted, that every man may freely 
trade for guns, powder and shot; it derogating nothing from 
our safety and adding much to our advantage ; and this act to be 
in force the first of April, which sfcall be in the year one thousand 
six hundred and sixty. [Hening's Statutes, i. 525.] 



Section 210. 

An Act Concerning the Trusting of Indians— Virginia, 1660. 
Whereas, many English trading with the Indians, out of an 



172 LAWS RELATING TO INDIANS. 

inordinate covetousness trust the said Indians with more truck 
than they are able to pay for, and after making use of the benefit 
of our laws, with which the Indians are utterly unacquainted, im- 
prison the persons and attach their goods, which provocations may 
in time contract a war upon the country, be it enacted, that what 
Englishman soever shall hereafter trust any Indian with any com- 
modities or truck, of what value soever, he shall do it at his own 
peril ; but shall not have benefit of any arrest, plaint, suit or pro- 
cess at law to recover the same ; and all courts of justice and their 
officers to take notice hereof and to proceed accordingly. [Hen- 
ing's Statutes, i. 541.] 



Section 211. 

Indians may be Sold to Satisfy Certain Demands — Virginia, 1660. 

Whereas, John Powell hath complained of damages done to 
him by the Indians, it is ordered that the commissioners of the 
county of Northumberland inquire into the said damages, and if, 
upon sufficient proof, they find any which are considerable, the said 
commissioners are ordered to award satisfaction, and to give notice 
to the chief man or men among those Indians that if they do not 
comply with the said award, then so many of them as the court 
shall think fit shall be apprehended and sold into a foreign country 
to satisfy the award, and upon the Indians' refusal to pay what is 
awarded, the governor and council are desired and authorized to 
cause some of those Indians to be apprehended and to be accord- 
ingly disposed of if they find it necessary. [Hening's Statutes, iu 
15, 16.] 

Sect/on 212. 

An Act Concerning Indians — Virginia, 1666. 

Whereas, the late act for the next town of Indians to be an- 
swerable for all murders committed in the parts adjacent, seems 
too full of severity and rigor to be put into execution unless there 
were at least some probable reason to induce a belief of their 
being involved in the guilt; and yet if no course be taken for 



LAWS RELATING TO INDIANS. 173 

restraint and prevention of the like insolencies and murders, there 
<;an be little hopes of security to the English, be it therefore en- 
acted by this Grand Assembly and the authority thereof, that in 
Henrico county, which, as a frontier, is most exposed to those dan- 
gers, the bounds already fixed on the south side of James river be 
confirmed, and that the militia of that county do lay out the 
bounds on the north side of the river, to limit the Indians about 
them ; and that after such bounds laid out and notice thereof given, 
any Indian shall presume to come in contrary to act in force, that 
then it shall be lawful for any Englishman to kill such Indian or 
Indians so transgressing; by the success whereof in the county it 
will appear whether the same course be necessary to be put in 
practice in other places ; and be it further enacted, that where the 
Indians, in any part of Virginia, shall be found still refractory, 
and not obedient to the said act, that notice thereof being given to 
the right honorable the governor, his honor be desired by force to 
reduce them to a conformable obedience : provided that such In- 
dians as shall come upon messages or other public employments to 
the places and persons by the governor's honor permitted, and 
shall keep their direct paths, shall be exempted from being liable 
to the severity of this act. [Hening's Statutes, ii. 237, 238.] 



Section 213. 

Indians as Jurors — New Jersey, 1676. 

" And also in case any of the proprietors, freeholders or inhab- 
itants shall anywise wrong or injure any of the Indian natives 
there, in person, estate, or otherwise, the commissioners are to take 
care, upon complaint to them made, or any one of them, either by 
the Indian natives or others, that justice be done to the Indian na- 
tives, and plenary satisfaction made them, according to the nature 
and quality of the offense and injury. And that in all trials 
wherein any of the said Indian natives are concerned, the trial to 
be by six of the neighborhood and six of the said Indian natives, 
to be indifferently and impartially chosen by order of the commis- 
sioners ; and that the commissioners use their endeavor to persuade 
the natives to the like way of trial when any of the natives do any 



174 LAWS RELATING TO INDIANS. 

ways wrong or injure the said proprietors, freeholders or inhabit- 
ants, that they choose six of the natives and six of the freeholders 
or inhabitants to judge of the wrong and injury done, and propor- 
tion satisfaction accordingly." [" Concessions from the Proprietors 
and Planters;" Learning & Spicer's Laws of New Jersey, p. 401.] 



Section 214. 

Indian Guns — New Jersey, 1675. 

" Be it further enacted, that no blacksmith or locksmith, or any 
other person whatsoever within this province, do make, mend, or 
any way repair any Indian's gun or guns, upon the penalty of 
paying, being thereof convicted, for the first offense, the sum of 
twenty shillings; for the second offense, forty shillings; and for the 
third offense, to double the whole, and so to continue, which fines 
to be one-half to the informer and the other half to the public 
use." [Learning & Spicer's Laws of New Jersey, p. 103.] 



Section 215. 

Indians to be Treated with Kindness — New Jersey, 1664. 

The following passage appears in the first instructions which 
were issued for the government of New Jersey : 

" And lastly, if our governor and council shall happen to find 
any natives in our said province and tract of land aforesaid, that 
then you treat them with all humanity and kindness, and not in 
anywise grieve and oppress them ; but endeavor, by a Christian car- 
riage, to manifest piety, justice and charity, and in your conversa- 
tion with them, the manifestation whereof will prove beneficial to 
the planters and likewise advantageous to the propagation of the 
gospel." [Learning & Spicer's Laws of New Jersey, p. 30.] 



Section 216. 

Selling Intoxicating Liquors to Indians — New Jersey, 1679. 
" No person or persons, within this province, shall, either 



LAWS RELATING TO INDIANS. 175 

directly or indirectly, under what pretense soever, from and after 
the publication hereof, sell, give, lend, or any other way dispose to 
any Indian, any sort of strong drink, viz: rum, brandy, wine or 
cider, strong beer, or any other toxicatious liquor, under the pen- 
alty of corporal punishment, to be inflicted on any person or per- 
sons so offending; that is to say, to receive twenty lashes upon the 
bare back for the first offense, thirty for the second, and for the 
third imprisonment during the governor's pleasure, and such other 
penalties as the court of assizes shall think fit." [Learning & Spi- 
cer's Laws of New Jersey, p. 133.] 



Section 217. 

Indians to bring in Skins of Wild Beasts or to be Whipped — Carolina, 1696. 

" Whereas, the Indian nations of that part of this province of 
Carolina that lies south and west of Cape Fear have for several year® 
past, by means and interest of us, the subjects of King William^ 
over England, etc., been furnished with clothes and all sorts of 
tools necessary for making their provisions, and have from time to 
time, as often as they have had need thereof, been protected and 
defended from their enemies, at our trouble, expense of time and 
charges, and by our forces; in consideration whereof they have not 
hitherto been any ways useful or serviceable, or contributing to the 
inhabitants of this province more than they have been particu- 
larly and specially rewarded for; and because the nations of Sante 
Helena, Causa, Wimbehe, Conbehe, Edisto, Stonoe, Kiaway, 
Itwan, Sewee, Santee, Cussoes, have freely and voluntarily offered 
and consented to be obliged to kill and bring in to such persons a® 
by the Assembly shall be appointed to receive the same in Charles- 
ton, for every Indian man capable of killing deer, of every re- 
spective nation, yearly, one wolf's skin, one tiger's skin, or one 
bear's skin, or two cat skins; be it enacted by his excellency Wil- 
liam, Earl of Craven, palatine, and the rest of the true and abso- 
lute lords and proprietors of the province of Carolina, by and with 
the advice and consent of the rest of the members of the General 
Assembly, now met at Charleston, for the southwest part of this 
province, that every Indian bowman, capable to kill deer, as afore- 



176 LAWS RELATING TO INDIANS. 

said, of the several nations of Indians before named, shall, some 
time before the twenty-fifth day of November, one thousand six 
hundred and ninety-six, and so yearly forever, bring in to such 
person or persons as shall be appointed by the governor for the 
time being to receive the same, one wolf's skin, or one tiger's skin, 
or one bear skin, or two cat skins." [Statutes of South Carolina, 
ii. 108, 109.] The chief of each nation, with the assistance of his 
captains, was "required and empowered" u to bring to Charleston," 
«every delinquent Indian, and "there upon his bare back severely 
whip, in sight of the inhabitants of the said town ; which whip- 
ping," says the act, "shall be instead of that skin which otherwise 
the said Indian ought to have given to the receiver." [" Act for 
destroying Beasts of Prey," etc. South Carolina, 1696.] 



Section 218. 

An Act to Prevent Abuses of the Indians — Massachusetts, 1700. 

" Whereas, some of the principal and best disposed Indians 
within this province have represented and complained of the ex- 
actions and oppression which some of the English exercise towards 
the Indians, by drawing them to consent to covenant or bind them- 
selves or children apprentices or servants, for an unreasonable term, 
on pretense of or to make satisfaction for some small debt con- 
tracted or damage done by them ; for redress whereof, be it en- 
acted and declared by his excellency the governor, council and 
representatives in general court assembled, and by the authority of 
the same, that from and after the publication of this act no In- 
dian shall contract or put or bind him or herself, or child, appren- 
tice or a servant to any of his majesty's subjects, for any time or 
term of years, but by and with the allowance and approbation of 
two or more of his majesty's justices of the peace, who are required 
to take special care that the contract or covenant so to be made, 
and the condition or terms thereof, be equal and reasonable both 
with respect to the time of service and otherwise. 

"And be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, that the 
justices of the general sessions of the peace within the respective 
counties be and are hereby empowered, upon complaint made by 



LAWS KELATING TO INDIANS. 177 

any Indian native of this country, that is or shall be aggrieved by 
any indenture, covenant or agreement heretofore made for any 
time or term of service not yet expired, to hear and relieve such 
Indian according to justice and equity, and to regulate and order 
the time for such service as they shall judge reasonable." [Laws 
of Massachusetts (Baskett's ed. 1724), p. 179.] 



Section 219. 

Act Against Selling Strong Liquors to Indians — Pennsylvania, 1701. 

"And forasmuch as several Sachems or Sachamacks, kings of 
the Indian nations, have, in their treaties with the proprietary and 
governor, earnestly desired that no European should be permitted 
to carry rum to their towns because of the mischiefs before ex- 
pressed, and since these evil practices plainly tend to the great dis- 
honor of God, scandal of the Christian religion, and hindrance to 
the embracing thereof, as well as drawing the judgments of God 
upon the country if not timely prevented; for the prevention 
whereof for the future, be it further enacted, that if any person in- 
habiting in this province, or others, shall, after the publication 
hereof, directly or indirectly sell, barter, give or exchange, by 
themselves or others, any rum, brandy or other spirits, mixed or 
unmixed, to or with any Indian within this province, and be 
legally convicted thereof, shall, for every such offense, forfeit ten 
pounds, one half to the use of the county wherein he is convicted 
and the other half to the discoverer and prosecutor, to be recov- 
ered in any court of record 'within this government." [Dallas' 
Laws of Pennsylvania, i. 39, 40.] 



Section 220. 

Indian Traders — Carolina, 1707. 

The preamble to an act of July 19, 1707, for "Kegulating the 
Indian Trade/' etc., says: 

" The greater number of those persons that trade among the 
12 



178 LAWS EELATING TO INDIANS. 

Indians in amity with this government do generally lead loose, 
vicious lives, to the scandal of the Christian religion, and do like- 
wise oppress the people among whom they live by their unjust and 
illegal actions, which, if not prevented, may, in time, tend to the 
destruction of this province." [Statutes of South Carolina, ii. 309.] 



Section 221. 

Reward for Killing or Capturing Indian Enemy — Carolina, 1708. 

" Every Indian who shall take or kill an Indian man of the 
enemy, shall have a gun given him for his reward." [Statutes of 
South Carolina, ii. 324.] 



Section 222. 

Cusaboe Indians — Carolina, 1712. 

The Assembly of the province of Carolina passed " An act for 
the settling the island called Palawanee upon the Cusaboe In- 
dians," " and upon their posterity forever." The preamble to the 
act declares that "the Cusaboe Indians, of Granville county, are 
the native and ancient inhabitants of the sea-coasts of this prov- 
ince, and kindly entertained the first English who arrived in the 
same, and are useful to the government for watching and discover- 
ing enemies and finding shipwrecked people." [Statutes of South 
Carolina, ii. 599.] 

Section 223. 

Indians, etc., Shall not Own Lands — New Jersey, 1713. 

An act of the General Assembly of New Jersey, passed in 1713, 
declares that " No negro, Indian or mulatto that shall hereafter be 
made free, shall enjoy, hold or possess any house or houses, lands, 
tenements or hereditaments, within this province, in his or her own 
right, in fee simple or fee tail, but the same shall escheat to her 
majesty, her heirs and successors." [NevilPs Code of New Jersey, 
i. 23.] 



LAWS KELATING TO INDIANS. 179 

Section 224. 

Indians — Carolina, 1715. 

An act for restraining the Indians from molesting or injuring 
the inhabitants of this government, and for securing to the Indians 
the right and property of their own lands. 

Whereas, before the late war, daily and grievous complaints of 
the depredations and insults of the Indians were exhibited against 
them by divers persons bordering upon and residing near to the 
habitations of the said Indians ; for the prevention of the like dis- 
orders for the time to come, and for the cultivating a better under- 
standing with the said Indians, the want of which has been injuri- 
ous to the government ; 

II. Be it enacted by his excellency the palatine, and the rest 
of the true and absolute lords proprietors of the province of Car- 
olina, by and with the advice and consent of the rest of the mem- 
bers of the General Assembly, now met at Little River, for the 
northeast part of the said province, and it is hereby enacted, by 
the authority of the same, that whoever shall discover or find any 
Indian or Indians killing, hunting or in pursuit of any horses, cat- 
tle or hogs, the right and property whereof is in any white man, 
inhabiting within this government, every such person or persons, 
on discovery or sight thereof, may, and he is hereby empowered, 
to apprehend and seize every such Indian or Indians, and him or 
them so apprehended and taken, to convey before some one of the 
commissioners to be appointed for Indian affairs, and for want of 
such, before the next magistrate, which said commissioner or mag- 
istrate, together with the ruler or head man of the town to which 
such delinquent may belong, is and are hereby empowered to pun- 
ish every such delinquent in such manner as the nature of the 
offense may require, and to award restitution to the party injured 
for all damages by him sustained ; saving always the right of appeal 
to the governor and council, if either party shall think themselves 
aggrieved or wronged thereby. 

III. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that 
if any difference shall, for the future arise between any white man 
and Indian, concerning trade or otherwise howsoever, every such 
difference shall be heard, tried and determined by such commis- 



180 LAWS RELATING TO INDIANS. 

sioners as the governor or commander-in-chief for the time being 
shall appoint, together with the ruler or head man of the town to 
which the Indian belongs ; saving only the right of appeal^as is 
herein before saved and excepted. 

IV. And whereas, there is great reason to believe that disputes 
concerning land has already been of fatal consequence to the peace 
and welfare of this colony, be it further enacted by the authority 
aforesaid, that no white man shall, for any consideration whatsoever, 
purchase or buy any tract or parcel of land claimed or actually in 
possession of any Indian, without special liberty for so doing from 
the governor and council first had and obtained, under the penalty 
of twenty pounds for every hundred acres of lands so bargained 
for and purchased, one-half to the informer and the other half to 
him or them that shall sue for the same, to be recovered by bill, 
plaint or information in any court of record within this govern- 
ment, wherein no essoin, protection, injunction or wager of law 
shall be allowed or admitted of. 

V. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that 
whatever white man shall defraud or take from any of the Indians 
his goods, or shall beat, abuse or injure his person, each and every 
person so offending shall make full satisfaction to the party injured, 
and shall suffer such other punishment as he should or ought to 
have done had the offense been committed to an Englishman. 
[Martin's Laws of North Carolina, i. 23.] 



Section 225. 

Indians — Cherokees — Carolin a , 1718. 

The preamble to "An act to empower the honorable the governor, 
to raise forces to be sent to the assistance of the Charokees against 
their enemies," etc., declares that "the safety of this province does, 
under God, depend on the friendship of the Charokees to this gov- 
ernment, which is in daily danger of being lost to us by the war 
now carried on against them by divers nations of Indians, supported 
by the French, with a design to reduce them to the obedience and 
dependence of that enterprising nation." [Statutes of South Caro- 
lina, iii. 39.] 



LAWS KELATING TO INDIANS. 181 

Section 226. 

Indians — South Carolina, 1721. 

"All and every justice of the peace in this province, upon due 
complaint made to them by any of the inhabitants of the same, shall 
have power, and they are hereby empowered, to order corporal pun- 
ishment to be inflicted by a constable upon any Indian or Indians 
that shall be proved to have done manifest injury to such inhabit- 
ants, in case the said Indian shall refuse or neglect to make such 
satisfaction to the inhabitant or inhabitants as the said justice or 
justices shall award or direct." [Statutes of South Carolina, iii. 144.1 



Section 227. 

Prohibiting Trade with Indians — New Hampshire, 1721. 

" Whereas, the eastern Indians have broke and violated all 
treaties of peace and friendship made with them, and insulted the 
eastern settlements, be it therefore enacted," etc., "that whoever 
shall [after] the twentieth day of this instant, October, directly or 
indirectly have any trade or commerce by way of gift, barter, or ex- 
change, or any other way whatsoever, with any of the aforesaid 
eastern Indians, or shall supply them with any provision, clothing 
guns, powder, shot, bullets, or any other goods, wares, or merchan- 
dise whatsoever, shall forfeit and pay the sum of five hundred 
pounds, and suffer twelve months imprisonment without bail or 
mainprise, upon the first conviction." * * * "If any person 
convict of trading with any of the aforesaid Indians, shall be so 
hardy as to carry on a trade or commerce with these Indians, in a 
manner as aforesaid, [he] shall, upon a second conviction, be deemed 
a felon, and suffer the pains of death." [Laws of New Hampshire, 
p. 164.] 



Section 228. 

Penalty for Passing Certain Limits — Virginia, 1722. 
Be it enacted by the lieutenant-governor, council and burgesses 



182 LAWS KELATING TO INDIANS. 

of this present General Assembly, and it is hereby enacted, by the 
authority of the same, that from and after the ratification of the 
present intended treaty at Albany, it shall not be lawful for any 
Indian or Indians tributary to this government to cross the Potow- 
mack river, nor pass the great ridge of mountains lying westward 
of the inhabited parts of this colony, without a license or passport 
first had and obtained from the governor or commander-in-chief 
of this dominion, for the time being, under the seal of the colony, 
containing the number of Indians so licensed, and the occasion for 
which the same shall be granted ; and if any Indian or Indians 
tributary to this government shall, after the time aforesaid, pre- 
sume to pass to the northward of Potowmack river, or to the west- 
ward of the great ridge of mountains, or shall go in greater num- 
bers than are particularly mentioned in such license, every Indian 
and Indians so offending, and being thereof convicted, shall suffer 
death or be transported to the West Indies, there to be sold as 
slaves, as shall be awarded by the court hereby appointed for trial 
of the said offenses ; and if any such tributary Indian departing 
out of the limits aforesaid, without such pass as is aforementioned, 
shall there happen to be killed, either by foreign Indians or by 
any of his majesty's subjects inhabiting the parts or places beyond 
the said limits, or shall be, by either of them, taken up and trans- 
ported or sold, no reparation or satisfaction shall be demanded by 
this government for such killing or transportation. 

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that none 
of the Indians of the five nations shall, from and after the ratifica- 
cation of the present intended treaty at Albany, be permitted to 
hunt or travel in or through any part of this dominion lying on 
the south side of Potowmack river, or on the east side of the said 
great ridge of mountains, without the license or passport of the 
governor or commander-in-chief of the province of New York, 
for the time being; and if any of the said Indians of the five na- 
tions shall, from and after the time aforesaid, be found traveling, 
hunting or ranging within the limits herein before-mentioned, 
without such license or pass, every Indian or Indians so offending 
shall incur the like penalties as are herein before-inflicted on the 
tributary Indians. [Hening's Statutes, iv. 104, 105.] 



LAWS EELATING TO INDIANS. 183 

Section 229. 

Indians — Connecticut, 1750. 

" Whereas, the bringing the Indians in this land to the know- 
ledge and obedience of the only true God and Savior of mankind, 
and the Christian faith, as well as to a civil and peaceable behavior, 
was one great end professed by the first settlers of this colony in 
obtaining the royal charter; which profession this court being al- 
ways desirous in the best manner to pursue, therefore, be it en- 
acted," etc., "that the authority and selectmen of each town wherein 
there are any Indians living or residing, shall take care, and they 
are hereby directed to endeavor to assemble and convene such In- 
dians annually, and acquaint them with the laws of government made 
for punishing such immoralities as they may be guilty of, and make 
them sensible that they are not exempted from the penalties of such 
laws any more than his majesty's other subjects in the colony are." 
* * * " Every Indian convicted of drunkenness in this col- 
ony shall forfeit and pay the sum of five shillings, or else be openly 
whipped on the naked body, not exceeding ten stripes for one of- 
fense, as the assistant or justice before whom such conviction is 
shall in his discretion determine ; and if any Indian or Indians 
shall labor or play on the Sabbath or Lord's Day, within the limits 
of any town in this colony, and be thereof duly convicted, every 
such Indian shall forfeit the sum of three shillings, or else sit in 
the stocks one hour, at the discretion of the authority before whom 
the conviction is made." [Acts and Laws of Connecticut (1750), 
p. 96.] 



Section 230. 

Imported Indians Forfeited to the Treasury — Connecticut, 1750. 

" Be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that all Indians, 
male or female, of what age soever, imported or brought into this 
c61ony by sea or land, from any place whatever, to be disposed of, 
left, or sold, within this colony, shall be forfeited to the treasury of 
this colony, and may be seized and taken accordingly; unless the 
person or persons importing or bringing in such Indian or Indians 
shall give security to some naval officer in this colony of fifty pounds 



184 LAWS KELATING TO INDIANS. 

per head, to transport or carry out of the same again, within the 
space of one month next after their coming, not to be returned back 
to this colony." [Acts and Laws of Connecticut, p. 230.] 



Section 231. 



An Act for Preventing and Eepelling the Hostile Incursions of the Indians at En- 
mity with the Inhabitants of this Colony — Virginia, 1755. 

Whereas, divers cruel and barbarous murders have been lately 
committed in the upper parts of this colony, by Indians supposed 
to be in the interest of the French, without any provocation from 
us, and contrary to the laws of nature and nations, and they still 
continue in skulking parties to perpetrate their barbarous and sav- 
age cruelties, in the most base and treacherous manner, surprising, 
torturing, killing and scalping, not only our men, who live dis- 
persedly in the frontiers, but also their helpless wives and children, 
sparing neither age nor sex ; for prevention of which shocking 
inhumanities, and for repelling such malicious and detestable 
enemies, be it enacted by the lieutenant-governor, council and 
burgesses of this present General Assembly, and it is hereby en- 
acted by the authority of the same, that the sum of ten pounds 
shall be paid by the treasurer of this colony, out of the public 
money in his hands, to any person or persons, party or parties, 
either in the pay of this colony, or other the inhabitants thereof, 
for every male Indian enemy, above the age of twelve years, by 
him or them taken prisoner, killed or destroyed, within the limits 
of this colony, at any time within the space of two years after the 
end of this session of Assembly. 

This act further provides that " the scalp of every Indian, so to 
be killed or destroyed, as aforesaid, shall be produced to the gov- 
ernor or commander-»in-chief " [Hening's Statutes, vi. 550, 551.] 



Section 232. 

Kegulating the Indians — M assachusetts, 1758. 

"Be it enacted by the governor, council and house of repre- 



LAWS EELATING TO INDIANS. 185 

sentatives, that there be three proper persons appointed for the fu- 
ture by this court, near to every Indian plantation in this province, 
guardians to the said Indians in their respective plantations, who 
are hereby empowered, from and after the twenty-third day of 
June, A. D. 1758, to take into their hands the said Indian lands, 
and allot to the several Indians of the several plantations such 
parts of the said lands and meadows as shall be sufficient for their 
particular improvement from time to time during the continuance 
of this act ; and the remainder, if any there be, shall be let out by 
the guardians of the said respective plantations to suitable persons, 
for a term not exceeding the continuance of the act ; and such part 
of the income thereof as is necessary shall be applied for the sup- 
port of such of the proprietors, in their respective plantations, as 
may be sick or unable to support themselves ; and the surplusage 
thereof, if any there be, shall be distributed amongst them accord- 
ing to their respective rights or interest, for providing necessaries 
for themselves and families and for the payment of their just debts, 
at the discretion of their said guardians, and that the respective 
guardians aforesaid be hereby empowered and enabled, in their 
own names and in their capacities as guardians, to bring forward 
and maintain any action or actions for any trespass or trespasses 
that may be committed on the said Indian land, and that any lib- 
erty obtained from any Indian or Indians for cutting off any tim- 
ber, wood or hay, milking pine trees, carrying off any ore or grain, 
or planting or improving said lands, shall not be any bar to said 
guardians in their said action or actions : provided, that nothing in 
this act shall be understood to bar any person or persons from let- 
ting creatures run upon the said Indians' unimproved lands that 
lie common and contiguous to other towns and proprietors." [Tem- 
porary Laws of Massachusetts (ed. of 1763), p. 112, 113.] 



Section 233. 

Dogs for Hunting Indians — New Jersey, 1758. 

A New Jersey law, enacted in 1758, contains the following par- 
agraph : 

"And whereas, the Indian enemy are a very private and secret 



186 LAWS KELATING TO INDIANS. 

enemy, and it has been thought dogs would be a great service, not 
only in discovering them in their secret retreats among the swamps, 
rocks and mountains, frequent in those parts, but also in assisting 
the troops in pursuing and attacking them ; therefore, be it enacted 
by the authority aforesaid, that it shall and may be lawful for the 
paymaster aforesaid to procure, upon the best terms he can, fifty 
good, large, strong and fierce dogs, and the same, so procured, to 
supply with food necessary for their subsistence, equal to ten men's 
allowance in quality [quantity]; which said dogs shall be disci- 
plined for and employed in the service in such manner as the said 
major, in conjunction with the commission officers, or. the major 
part of them, shall think proper." [Nevill's Code of New Jersey, 
ii. 202.] 



Section 234. 

Pay for Scalps — South Carolina, 1760. 

By an act of the 31st of July, 1760, South Carolina appropri- 
ated the sum of three thousand five hundred pounds " to pay for 
the scalps of Cherokee Indians." [Statutes of South Carolina, iv. 
128.] 

Section 235. 

Indians Taken in War to be Sold as Slaves — Pay for Indian Scalps — North Caro- 
lina, 1760. 

And for the greater encouragement of persons as shall enlist 
voluntarily to serve in the said companies, and other inhabitants 
of this province who shall undertake any expedition against the 
Cherokees and other Indians in alliance with the French, be it 
further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that each of the said 
Indians who shall be taken a captive, during the present war, by 
any person as aforesaid, shall and is hereby declared to be a slave, 
and the absolute right and property of who shall be the captor of 
such Indian, and shall and may be possessed, pass, go and remain 
to such captor, his executors, administrators and assigns, as a chat- 
tel personal ; and if any person or persons, inhabitant or inhabit- 



LAWS BELATING TO INDIANS. 187 

ants of this province, not in actual pay, shall kill an enemy Indian 
or Indians, he or they shall have and receive ten pounds for each 
and every Indian he or they shall so kill ; and any person or per- 
sons who shall be in the actual pay of this province shall have 
and receive five pounds for every enemy Indian or Indians he or 
they shall so kill, to be paid out of the treasury, any law, usage or 
custom to the contrary notwithstanding. 

Provided, always, that any person claiming the said reward, 
before he be allowed or paid the same, shall produce to the Assem- 
bly the scalp of every Indian so killed, and make oath or other- 
wise prove that he was the person who killed, or was present at the 
killing the Indian whose scalp shall be so produced, and that he 
hath not before had or received any allowance from the public for 
the same; and as a further encouragement, shall also have and 
keep to his or their own use or uses all plunder taken out of the 
possession of any enemy Indian or Indians, or within twenty miles 
of any of the Cherokee towns, or any Indian town at war with any 
of his majesty's subjects. [Martin's Laws of North Carolina, i. 135.] 



Section 236. 

Murder of Free Indians — Georgia, 1774. 

" Whereas, it has been represented that some Indians, in amity 
with this province, have been barbarously murdered, to the great 
scandal of society and the danger of involving this province in a 
bloody and expensive war, and there is reason to believe that sev- 
eral ill-disposed persons have not considered such inhuman actions 
in a proper light, but being influenced by the ill-grounded preju- 
dices which ignorant minds are apt to conceive against persons dif- 
fering in color from themselves, and unaware of the consequences, 
have rather looked on those murders as meritorious ; to discourage, 
therefore, as much as may be, such unchristianlike and cruel prac- 
tices, and to explain and set forth the great danger thereof, it is 
declared, that to murder any free Indian, in amity with this pro- 
vince, is, by the law of the land, as penal, to all intents and pur- 
poses whatsoever, as to murder any white person." [Marbury & 
Crawford's Digest, p. 258.] 



188 LAWS EELATING TO INDIANS. 

Section 237. 

Reward for Scalps — Pennsylvania, 1764. 

The governor of Pennsylvania, by a proclamation of July 7, 
1764, offered bounties for the scalps or capture of hostile Indians* 
The bounties were : 

For every male above ten years, captured, .... $150.00 

For every male above ten years, scalped, being killed, . . 134.00 

For every female or male under ten years, captured, . . 130.00 

For every female above ten years, scalped, being killed, . . 50.00 

[Gordon's History of Pennsylvania, 438.] 



Section 238. 

South Carolina, 1731. 

No Indian to be trusted by Indian traders for more than one 
pound of powder and four pounds of bullets. [Statutes of South 
Carolina, iii. 330.] 

Section 239. 

Indians and Eum — Pennsylvania, 1731. 

From the minutes of the provincial council of Pennsylvania : 

At a council held at Philadelphia on the 13th of August, 1731, 
Sassoonan, king of the Delawares, " desired to add something to 
what he had said yesterday concerning rum and the carrying it 
into the woods, viz : The governor knows there are ill people 
amongst the Christians as well as amongst them [the Indians] and 
what mischief is done he believes is mostly owing to rum, and it 
should be prevented. 

" He desired that no Christian should carry any rum to Shamo- 
kin, where he lives, to sell. When they want it they will send for 
it themselves ; they would not be wholly deprived of it, but they 
would not have it brought by the Christians. 

" He desires four men may be allowed to carry some rum to 
Allegheny, to refresh the Indians when they return from hunting. 



LAWS KELATING TO INDIANS. 189 

and that none else be admitted to carry any. They also desire 
that some rum may be lodged at Tulpyhockin and Pextan, to be 
sold to them, that their women may not have too long a way to 
fetch it." [Minutes of Provincial Council of Pennsylvania, vol. 
iii. p. 432.] 



PAET VII. 

colonial laws relating to slavery and other forms 
op servitude. 

Section 240. 

Slavery. 

History does not contain any definite account of the origin of 
slavery. It was, however, permitted or encouraged in the several 
ancient governments of Europe, Asia and Africa, especially among 
Jews, Phoenicians, Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. According to 
the old imperial or civil law of the Roman Empire, slaves could 
acquire no property for themselves. They were not entitled to the 
right of marriage. They could be sold, transferred or pawned as 
goods or personal estate, and might be tortured to obtain evidence, 
or killed by their masters upon great provocation. [Wood's Insti- 
tutes, book i. c. 2; Cooper's Justinian, 410.] 

The price of an ordinary slave at Rome, in Cato Major's time 
(B. C. 200) was equal to about forty-eight pounds eight shillings 
and nine pence. [Priestley's Lectures, p. 112.] 

Among the Romans slaves were sometimes chained to the 
gates of great men's houses as porters. [Cooper's Justinian, p. 411.] 

Notwithstanding the wretched condition to which slaves were 
reduced under the civil law, it declared that, by the law of nature, 
all men were originally born free — "Jure enim naturali, omnes 
homines ab initio liberi nascebantur." [Justinian's Institutes, lib. 
i. tit. 2.] (?) 

(190) 



SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 191 

Section 241. 

It is said that Zoroaster, an early Persian reformer, decreed 
that an annual festival should be celebrated to commemorate the 
primitive equality of all men. 



Section 242. 



Philo, the Jew, who wrote on various subjects about the com- 
mencement of the Christian era, says : " The Therapeutae (a Jew- 
ish sect in Egypt) do not use the ministrations of slaves, looking 
upon the possession of servants or slaves to be a thing absolutely 
and wholly contrary to nature, for nature has created all men free." 
[Philo Judseus, iv. p. 16.] 



Section 243. 



In England and in some of the other countries of Europe, after 
the introduction of the feudal system a very large number of per- 
sons who lived in a condition of servitude were called villeins, from 
the Latin word villa (a country farm), where such bondmen, gen- 
erally, were required to do service. A statute of Alfred the Great 
strictly prohibited the purchase of "a man, a horse, or an ox, with- 
out a voucher to warrant the sale." [Encyclopedia Britannica, xx. 
p. 320.] 

In the 11th century, according to some authorities, the pope 
issued a bull for the emancipation of slaves. [Young's Labor in 
Europe and America, p. 72.] 



Section 244. 



Sir Walter Raleigh says : " It followeth to be proved that there 
were villeins in England before the conquest. I remember not in 
Beda the word written, his Latin being purer; he called them servi, 
but that they were villeins is evident, in that he writes, King Ed- 
elwack, in the West Saxons, chose AYilfride a bishop, and gave him 
forty-seven families, * * * whom Bishop Wilfrid 3 christened 



192 SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE 

and manumitted." * * * " In another place Beda showeth, 
Oswald, king of the Northumbers, got out of Scotland Aidan for 
his bishop, who all the money he could get he would give to the 
poor, or for the redemption of them that were unjustly sold, and 
these sometimes he would make priests." [Raleigh's works, vol. 
viii. p. 599. 

Section 245. 

In Erskine's Institutes of the Laws of Scotland (vol. i. p. 155), 
the following statements appear : 

" By the Roman law, servants, or servi, were the property of 
their masters, and might be bought and sold as their goods, so that 
they were considered as subjects of commerce rather than as per- 
sons, and whatever they acquired, either by testament or their own 
industry, accrued to their masters. The Romans also had a ' kind 
of slaves called adscripti,' * * * who were bound to perpetual 
slavery in cultivating a particular field or farm, and who were 
rather slaves to that farm than to the owner of it, so that he could 
not transfer his right to them without alienating the farm to which 
they were astricted. * * * Much like these were our ancient 
nativi or bondmen, who could not indeed be sold by their masters, 
but in most other respects resembled the Roman servi, for they had 
nothing which they could call their own ; * * * yet they pre- 
scribed an immunity from their serviture by residing for a year to- 
gether in any royal borough without challenge from their masters." 



Section 246. 



In 1172, at an assembly, chiefly of the clergy, held at Armagh, 
in Ireland, at a time of public calamities, it was agreed " on this 
account these evils were visited on Ireland, because they [the 
Irish people] had, against the law of Christian liberty, formerly 
bought as slaves the sons of English who had been brought to 
them by merchants, for formerly the poor English, to supply their 
necessities, were wont to sell even their own children instead of 
bringing them up; wherefore, by unanimous consent, English 



SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 193 

■slaves throughout all Ireland were allowed to depart without hin- 
drance." [Southey's Common Place Book, i. 322.] 



Section 247. 



In the canons of a council held at London, A. D. 1102, it is 
declared : " Let no one from henceforth presume to carry on that 
wicked traffic by which men in England have hitherto been sold 
like brute animals." [Wilkins* Concilia, i. 383; Standard Library 
Cyclopedia, iv. 719.] 



Section 248. 



In the year 1514, Henry VIII. manumitted two of his villeins, 
in the following form : 

" Whereas, God created all men free, but afterwards the laws 
and customs of nations subjected some under the yoke of servi- 
tude, we think it pious and meritorious with God to manumit 
Henry Knight, a tailor, and John Hule, a husbandman, our na- 
tives, being born within the manor of Stoko (?), Clymmysland, in 
our county of Cornwall," etc. [Cooper's Justinian, 414.] 

A bill for the general manumission of bondsmen was rejected 
hy the house of lords in 1526. [Wade's British History, p. 117.] 



Section 249. 



An extract from an ordinance that was issued in 1315 by Louis 
X., king of France, makes the following declarations: 

"As, according to the laws of nature, each [person] must be 
born free, and that by some usages or customs, which of great an- 
tiquity have been introduced and hitherto preserved in our king- 
dom, and, peradventure for the fault of their predecessors, many 
of our common people have fallen into servitude and divers con- 
ditions which very much displease us ; we, considering that our 
kingdom is called and named the kingdom of Franks (free men), 
13 



194 SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 

and wishing that the thing should truly be accordant with the name> 
and that the condition of the people should improve on the advent 
of our new government, upon deliberation with our great council, 
have ordered and do order that, generally throughout our kingdom, 
so far as may belong to us and our successors, such servitudes be 
brought back to freedom ; aud that to all those who, from origin 
or antiquity, or recently from marriage, or from residence in places- 
of servile condition, are fallen or may fall into bonds of servitude, 
freedom be given upon good and fitting conditions." [Ordon- 
nances des Rois, etc. torn. i. p. 588 ; Guizot's History of Civiliza- 
tion, iv. 59.] 

Section 250. 

At London, in 1584, a work was published under the title of 
"De Republica Anglorum : The Manner of Government or Pol- 
icy of the Realm of England, compiled by the Hon. Sir Thomas 
Smyth, knight, doctor of both the laws, and one of the principal 
secretaries unto the two most worthy princes, King Edward "VX 
and Queen Elizabeth." 

Referring to the emancipation of serfs and villeins, the author 
of this work (pp. 108, 109) says : 

" Howbeit sith our realm hath received the Christian religion, 
which maketh us all in Christ brethren, and in respect of God and 
Christ conservos, men began to have conscience to hold in captiv- 
ity and such extreme bondage him whom they must acknowledge 
to be his brother, and as we used to term him Christian, that is y 
who looketh in Christ and by Christ to have equal portion with; 
them in the gospel and salvation. Upon this scruple, in continu- 
ance of time, and by long succession, the holy fathers, monks and 
friars, in their confession, and specially in their extreme and 
deadly sickness, burdened the consciences of them whom they had 
under their hands, so that temporal men, by little and little, by 
reason of that terror in their conscience, were glad to manumit all 
their villeins ; but the said holy fathers, with the abbots and pri- 
ors, did not like sort by theirs, for they had also conscience to im- 
poverish and despoil the churches so much as to manumit such as 
were bond to their churches or to the manors which the church. 



SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 195 

had gotten, and so kept theirs still. The same did the bishops 
also, till at the last, and now of late some bishops, to make a piece 
of money, manumitted theirs, partly for argant, partly for slanders 
that they seemed more cruel than the temporality ; after the mon- 
asteries coming into temporal men's hands have been occasion that 
now they be almost all manumitted." 



Section 251. 



Dominic Soto, a Dominican confessor of Charles V., Emperor 
of Germany, wrote a memorable treatise on justice and law, in 
which he condemned the African slave trade. He said : 

" It is affirmed that the unhappy Ethiopians are by fraud or 
force carried away and sold as slaves. If this is true, neither 
those who have taken them, nor those who purchased them, nor 
those who hold them in bondage, can ever have a quiet conscience 
till they emancipate them, even if no compensation should be ob- 
tained." [Encyclopedia Britannica, i. 330.] 



Section 252. 

White Servants — Massachusetts, 1630. 

" It is ordered by this court and the authority thereof, that no 
servant, either man or maid, shall either give, sell, or truck any 
commodity whatsoever, without license from their master, during 
the time of their service, under pain of fine or corporal punishment, 
at the discretion of the court, as the offense shall deserve. 

"And that all workmen shall work the whole day, allowing con- 
venient time for food and rest. 

" It is ordered and by this court declared, that if any servant 
shall flee from the tyranny and cruelty of his or her master to the 
house of any freeman of the same town, they shall be there pro- 
tected and sustained till due order be taken for their relief: pro- 
vided due notice thereof be speedily given to their master from 
whom they fled, and to the next magistrate or constable where the 
party so fled is harbored. 



196 SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 

"And all servants that have served diligently and faithfully to 
the benefit of their masters, seven years, shall not be sent away 
empty ; and if any have been unfaithful, negligent, or unprofitable 
in their service, notwithstanding the good usage of their masters, 
they shall not be dismissed till they have made satisfaction accord- 
ing to the judgment of authority." [Laws of Massachusetts, (ed. 
1672) pp. 104, 105,] 



Section 253. 

Servants — Virginia, 1643. 

Whereas, divers controversies have risen between masters and 
servants being brought into the colony without indentures or cov- 
enants to testify their agreements, whereby both masters and ser- 
vants have been often prejudiced, be it therefore enacted and 
confirmed for prevention of future controversies of the like man- 
ner, that such servants as shall be imported, having no indentures 
or covenants, either men or women, if they be above twenty years 
old, to serve four years, if they shall be above twelve and under 
twenty, to serve five years, and if under twelve to serve seven 
years. [Hening's Statutes, i. 257.] 



Section 254. 

Secret Marriage of Servants Forbidden — Virginia, 1643. 

Whereas, many great abuses and much detriment have been 
found to arise both against the law of God and likewise to the ser- 
vice of many masters of families in the colony, occasioned through 
secret marriages of servants, their masters and mistresses being 
not made privy thereto, be it enacted and confirmed by this Grand 
Assembly, that what man servant soever hath, since January, 1640, 
or hereafter shall secretly marry with any maid or woman servant 
without the consent of her master or mistress if she be a widow, 
he or they so offending shall, in the first place, serve out his or 
their time or times with his or their masters or mistresses, and 
after shall serve his or their master or mistress one complete year 



SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 197 

more tor such offense committed, and the maid or woman so mar- 
rying without consent, as aforesaid, shall, for such her offense, 
double the time of service with her master or mistress, and a free- 
man so offending shall give satisfaction to the master or mistress by 
doubling the value of the service and pay a fine of five hundred 
pounds of tobacco to the parish where such offense shall be com- 
mitted. [Hening's Statutes, i. 253/ 1 



Section 255. 

Punishment of Runaway Servants — Virginia, 1643. 

Whereas, there are divers loitering runaways in the colony who* 
very often absent themselves from their masters' service, and some- 
times in two or three months can not be found, whereby their mas- 
ters are at great charge in finding them, and many times even to the 
loss of their year's labor before they be had, be it therefore enacted 
and confirmed, that all runaways that shall absent themselves from 
their said masters' service shall be liable to make satisfaction by ser- 
vice at the end of their time by indenture (viz.) double the time of 
service so neglected, and in some cases more, if the commissioners- 
for the place find it requisite and convenient; and if such runaways 
shall be found to transgress the second time, or oftener (if it shall 
be duly proved against them), that then they shall be branded in 
the cheek with the letter R, and pass under the statute of incor- 
rigible rogues: provided, notwithstanding, that where any servants 
shall have just cause of complaint against their masters or mis- 
tresses by harsh or unchristianlike usage or otherways, for want of 
diet or convenient necessaries, that then it shall be lawful for any 
such servants to repair to the next commissioner to make his or 
their complaint. [Hening's Statutes, i. 254, 255.] 



Section 256. 

How to Know a Runaway Servant — Virginia, 1659. 

Whereas, the act for runaway servants appoint only the pun- 
ishment of the said servants and the penalty of entertaining them > 



198 SLAVEKY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 

but provides no way for the discovery of them, it is enacted and 
ordained that the master of every such runaway shall cut or cause 
to be cut the hair of all such runaways close above their ears, 
whereby they may be with more ease discovered and apprehended. 
[Hening's Statutes, i. 517.] 



Section 257. 

Christian Slaves — Carolina, 1669. 

" Since charity obliges us to wish well to the souls of all men, 
and religion ought to alter nothing in any man's civil estate or 
right, it shall be lawful for slaves, as well as others, to enter them- 
selves and be of what church or profession any of them shall think 
best, and thereof be as fully members as any freeman. But yet no 
slave shall hereby be exempted from that civil dominion his master 
hath over him, but be in all things in the same estate and condition 
he was in before." [Locke's Constitution ; Statutes of South Car- 
olina, i. p. 55.] 



Section 258. 

Servants and Slaves — What Time Indians to Serve — Virginia, 1670. 

Whereas, some dispute have arisen whether Indians taken in 
war by any other nation, and by that nation that taketh them sold 
to the English, are servants for life or term of years, it is resolved 
and enacted, that all servants, not being Christians imported into 
this colony by shipping, shall be slaves for their lives; but what 
shall come by land shall serve, if boys or girls, until thirty years 
of age; if men or women, twelve years, and no longer. [Hening's 
Statutes, ii. 283.] 

Section 259. 

v Slaves — Virginia, 1669. 

* An act about the casual killing of slaves. 
Whereas, the only law in force for the punishment of refrac- 
tory servants resisting their master, mistress or overseer can not 



SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 199 

he inflicted upon negroes, nor the obstinacy of many of them by 
other than violent means suppressed, be it enacted and declared by 
this Grand Assembly, if any slave resist his master (or other by 
his master's order correcting him) and by the extremity of the cor- 
rection should chance to die, that his death shall not be accounted 
felony, but the master (or that other person appointed by the mas- 
ter to punish him) be acquit from molestation, since it can not be 
presumed that prepensed malice (which alone makes murder felony) 
should induce any man to destroy his own estate. [Hening's Stat- 
utes, ii. 270.] 



Section 260. 

Indians Taken in War to be Slaves — Virginia, 1676. 

It is ordered, that all such soldiers who either already have 
taken or hereafter shall take prisoners any of our Indian enemies, 
or any other Indian plunder, and at the time of taking such In- 
dians or Indian goods, then were or shall hereafter be under a law- 
ful command from due and full authority, that they retain and 
keep all such Indian slaves* or other Indian goods as they either 
have taken or hereafter shall take to their own proper use for their 
better encouragement to such service. [Hening's Statutes, ii. 404.J 



Section 261. 

Slaves— Virginia, 1680. 

An act for preventing negro insurrections. 
Whereas, the frequent meeting of considerable numbers of 
negro slaves, under pretense of feasts and burials, is judged of 

* It appears from the above resolution of the Assembly, that the practice of 
snaking slaves of Indian prisoners was sanctioned by the government at an earlier 
period than that which has generally been assigned for it. The first law on the 
subject, passed in June, 1676, during the time of Bacon, then followed the above 
resolution, in February, 1676-7; and lastly, the act of April, 1679, which is almost 
a literal transcript of Bacon's law. The first appearance of this law, in print } 
"being in Purvis, p. 235, act 1, of April, 1679, that period has been fixed on as the 
commencement of the law, though in truth the practice had existed much earlier. 
fib. ii. 204.J 



200 SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 

dangerous consequence ; for prevention whereof for the future, be 
it enacted by the king's most excellent majesty, by and with the 
consent of the General Assembly, and it is hereby enacted by the 
authority aforesaid, that from and after the publication of this law, 
it shall not be lawful for any negro or other slave to carry or arm 
himself with any club, staff, gun, sword, or any other weapon of 
defense or offense, nor to go or depart from off his master's ground 
without a certificate from his master, mistress or overseer, and such; 
permission not to be granted but upon particular and necessary 
occasions; and every negro or slave so offending not having a cer- 
tificate as aforesaid, shall be sent to the next constable, who is- 
hereby enjoined and required to give the said negro twenty lashes 
on his bare back, well laid on, and so sent home to his said master,, 
mistress or overseer. And it is further enacted by the authority 
aforesaid, that if any negro or other slave shall presume to lift up 
his hand in opposition against any Christian, shall, for every such, 
offense, upon due proof made thereof by the oath of the party be- 
fore a magistrate, have and receive thirty lashes on his bare back, 
well laid on. And it is hereby further enacted by the authority 
aforesaid, that if any negro or other slave shall absent himself from 
his master's service and lie hid and lurking in obscure places, com- 
mitting injuries to the inhabitants, and shall resist any person or 
persons that shall, by any lawful authority, be employed to appre- 
hend and take the said negro, that then in case of such resistance, 
it shall be lawful for such person or persons to kill the said negro* 
or slave so lying out and resisting, and that this law be once every 
six months published at the respective county courts and parish 
churches within this colony. [Hening's Statutes, ii. 481, 482.] 



Section 262. 

Slaves— Virginia, 1682. 

An act to repeal a former law making Indians and others free t 
Whereas, by the 12th act of Assembly held at James City, the 
3d day of October, Anno Domini 1670, entitled an act declaring 
who shall be slaves, it is enacted, that all servants not being Christ- 
ians, being imported into this country by shipping, shall be slaves, 



SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 201 

but what shall come by land shall serve, if boys and girls, until 
thirty years of age; if men or women, twelve years and no longer; 
and forasmuch as many negroes, Moors, mulattoes, and others born 
of and in heathenish, idolatrous, pagan and Mohammedan parentage 
and country have heretofore and hereafter may be purchased, pro- 
cured, or otherwise obtained as slaves of, from, or out of such their 
heathenish country by some well disposed Christian, who, after such 
their obtaining and purchasing such negro, Moor, or mulatto as 
their slave out of a pious zeal, have wrought the conversion of such 
slave to the Christian faith, which by the laws of this country doth 
not manumit them or make them free, and afterwards such their 
conversion it hath and may often happen that such master or owners 
of such slave being by some reason enforced to bring or send such 
slave into this country to sell or dispose of for his necessity or ad- 
vantage, he the said master or owner of such servant which, not- 
withstanding his conversion, is really his slave, or his factor or 
agent must be constrained either to carry back or export again the 
said slave to some other place where they may sell him for a slave, 
or else depart from their just right and title to such slave and sell 
him here for no longer time than the English or other Christians 
are to serve, to the great loss and damage of such master or owner, 
and to the great discouragement of bringing in such slaves for the 
future, and to no advantage at all to the planter or buyer ; and 
whereas, also, those Indians that are taken in war or otherwise by 
our neighboring Indians, confederates or tributaries to his majesty 
and this his plantation of Virginia, are slaves to the said neighbor- 
ing Indians that so take them, and by them are likewise sold to his 
majesty's subjects here as slaves ; be it therefore enacted, by the 
governor, council and burgesses of this Grand Assembly, and it is 
enacted by the authority aforesaid, that all the said recited act of 
the third of October, 1670, be and is hereby repealed and made ut- 
terly void to all intents and purposes whatsoever ; and be it further 
enacted, by the authority aforesaid, that all servants, except Turks 
and Moors, whilst in amity with his majesty, which from and after 
publication of this act shall be brought or imported into this 
country, either by sea or land, whether negroes, Moors, mulattoes or 
Indians, who and whose parentage and native country are not Chris- 
tian at the time of their first purchase of such servant by some 



202 SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 

Christian, although afterwards, and before such their importation 
and bringing into this country, they shall be converted to the 
Christian faith ; and all Indians which shall hereafter be sold by 
our neighboring Indians, or any other trafficking with us as for 
slaves, are hereby adjudged, deemed and taken, and shall be ad- 
judged, deemed and taken to be slaves to all intents and purposes, 
any law, usage or custom to the contrary notwithstanding. [Hen- 
ing's Statutes, ii. 490, 491.] 



Section 263. 

Slaves — Negro and Indian — New Jersey, 1682. 

"And be it enacted, by the authority aforesaid, that all and 
«very person within this province, in case any negro or Indian 
slave or servant shall tender, bring or offer to sell, barter or trade 
with or any matter or for thing to any person without permission 
or license of his master or mistress, such negro slave or servant 
shall and may be taken up and be whipped by the person or per- 
sons to whom he shall tender such sale, and such person whipping 
such negro or Indian slave or servant shall have the reward of 
3aalf a crown paid him by the master or mistress of such negro or 
Indian slave or servant. " [Laws of New Jersey.] 



Section 264. 

White Servants— Carolina, 1687. 

"All and every such servant or servants arriving without in- 
dentures or contracts, as aforesaid, and serving according to the 
limitation of this act, shall and may have and receive from the 
master or masters of such servant or servants, at and upon the ex- 
piration of their term of service, limited as aforesaid, one suit of 
apparel, one barrel of Indian corn, one ax and one hoe." [Act 
passed at Charleston April 9, 1637 ; Statutes of South Caro- 
lina, ii. 30.] 



SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 203 

Section 265. 

Act for the Better Ordering of Slaves — Carolina, 1690. 

"Re it enacted by his excellency, William, Earl of Craven, 
^palatine, and the rest of the true and absolute lords and proprie- 
tors of this province, by and with the advice and consent of the 
commons in this present parliament assembled, and it is hereby 
enacted, by the authority of the same, that no person whatsoever 
shall send or give leave to any negro or Indian slave under his or 
their care, charge or ownership, to go out of their plantations, un- 
less such as usually wait on their persons, without a ticket, or one 
[or] more white men in their company, in which ticket shall be 
expressed their names and numbers, and also from and to what 
place they are intended for, and time, on penalty of forty shillings 
and paying for taking up such slave as a runaway ; and whosoever 
shall not endeavor to apprehend any negro or Indian slave, coming 
into their plantations aforesaid, or where they have care or charge 
(except such as have tickets before excepted as aforesaid), and ap- 
prehending any, shall not punish them by moderate whipping, 
shall forfeit forty shillings ; and if any negro or Indian slave shall 
•offer any violence, by striking or the like, to any white person, he 
shall, for the first offense, be severely whipped by the constable 
by order of any justice of the peace ; and for the second offense, 
t>y like order, shall be severely whipped, his or her nose slit and 
face burnt in some place ; and for the third offense to be left to 
two justices and three sufficient freeholders to inflict death, or any 
other punishment, according to their discretion : provided such 
striking or conflict be not by command of, or in lawful defense of, 
their owners' persons." [Statutes of South Carolina, vii. 343.] 



Section 266. 

Slaves shall not be Encouraged to Work on the Sabbath — Carolina, 1691. 

In 1691 it was enacted " that any master, mistress or overseer 
who shall cause or encourage any slave or slaves to work on the 
Sabbath day, shall forfeit for every offense, for every slave, the 
«um of five shillings." [Statutes of South Carolina, ii. 69.] 



204 SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 

Section 267. 

Punishment for Stealing or Removing Boats, etc. — Carolina, 1695, 

" If any slave or Indian, at any time after the ratification of 
this act, shall take away or let loose any boat or canoe or steal any 
grappling, painter, rope, sail or oars from any landing or place- 
whatsoever, where the owners or persons in whose service and em- 
ployment they were last in had made fast or laid the same, shall, 
for the first offense he or they shall be convicted of, receive on his 
or their bare backs thirty-nine lashes ; and for the second offense, 
shall forfeit and have cut off from his or their heads one ear.* 
[Statutes of South Carolina, ii. 105.] 



Section 268. 



An Act for the Encouragement of the Importation of White Servants — Caro- 
lina, 1698. 

Whereas, the great number of negroes which of late have been 
imported into this colony may endanger the safety thereof, if speedy 
care be not taken and encouragement given for the importation of 
white servants; 

I. Be it enacted by his excellency, John, Earl of Bath, pala- 
tine, and the rest of the true and absolute lords and proprietors of 
this province, by and with the advice and consent of the rest of 
the members of the General Assembly, now met at Charleston, for 
the southwest of this province, that every merchant, owner or mas- 
ter of any ship which shall bring any white male servants, Irish 
only excepted, into Ashley river, above sixteen years of age and 
under forty, and the same shall deliver to the receiver-general, 
shall receive and be paid by the said receiver, in dollars or pieces 
of eight, at five shillings the piece, the sum of thirteen pounds for 
every servant so delivered, and for every boy of twelve years and 
under sixteen, imported and delivered to the receiver as aforesaid, 
the sum of twelve pounds as aforesaid : provided, that every ser- 
vant, as aforesaid, hath not less than four years to serve from and 
after the day of his arrival in Ashley river, and every boy afore- 
said, not less than seven years. And if any person shall deliver 



SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 205 

to the receiver aforesaid any servant or boy, as aforesaid, which 
hath less time to serve than the respective times before appointed, 
the receiver shall pay such person proportionably to the rates and 
times aforesaid, for so long time as such servant or boy hath to 
serve ; and no person which shall deliver any servant or boy to the 
receiver, which hath longer time to serve than the respective times 
of four and seven years, aforesaid, shall remit any of the time the 
said servant or boy ought, bona fide, whether by custom or contract, 
to have served his said master; and every servant or boy so deliv- 
ered to the receiver shall serve so long as he or they ought to have 
served their said master. 

By other provisions of this act, the white servants who were 
purchased by the receiver were allotted one to each planter who 
was the owner of "six men negro slaves above sixteen years old," 
two to each owner of a plantation, and " twelve negro men as afore- 
said," " and every master of every plantation proportionably," un- 
less already supplied with such male servants, " contracted for four 
years, and not under." Each planter to whom such servants were 
allotted was required, within three months, to pay the receiver so 
much money for each servant "as the receiver gave to the person 
from whom he received such servant." [Statutes of South Carolina, 
ii. 153.] 

Section 269. 

White Servants — Pennsylvania, 1700. 

" Be it enacted, that no servant, bound to serve his or her time 
in this province or counties annexed, shall be sold or disposed of 
to any person residing in any other province or government, with- 
out the consent of the said servant and two justices of the peace of 
the county wherein he lives or is sold, under the penalty of ten 
pounds to be forfeited by the settler." [Dallas' Laws of Pennsyl- 
vania, i. 13.] 

"And be it enacted, that every servant that shall faithfully 
serve four years or more, shall, at the expiration of their servi- 
tude, have a discharge, and shall be duly clothed with two com- 
plete suits of apparel, whereof one shall be new, and shall also be 



206 SLAVEKY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 

furnished with one new ax, one grubbing-hoe and one weeding- 
hoe at the charge of their master or mistress.'' [lb. i. 14.] 

" And for prevention of servants quitting their masters' service, 
be it enacted, that if any servant shall absent him or herself from 
the service of their master or Owner for the space of one day or 
more, without leave first obtained for the same, every such servant 
shall, for every such day's absence, be obliged to serve five days 
after the expiration of his or her time, and shall further make such 
satisfaction to his or her master or owner for the damages and 
charges sustained by such absence as the respective county court 
shall see meet, who shall order as well the time to be served as- 
other recompense for damages sustained." [lb. i. 14.] 

"And for the more effectual discouragement of servants embez- 
zling their master's or owner's goods, be it enacted, that whosoever 
shall clandestinely deal or traffic with any servant, white or blacky 
for any kind of goods or merchandise, without leave or order from 
his or her master or owner, plainly signified or appearing, shall 
forfeit treble the value of such goods to the owner; and the ser- 
vant, if a white, shall make satisfaction to his or her master or 
owner by servitude after the expiration of his or her time to double 
the value of the said goods ; and if the servant be a black, he or 
she shall be severely whipped in the most public place of the 
township where the offense was committed." [lb. i. 15.] 



Section 270. 

An Act Relating to Mulatto and Negro Slaves — Massachusetts, 1703. 

Whereas, great charge and inconvenience have arisen to divers* 
towns and places by the releasing and setting at liberty mulatto 
and negro slaves, for the prevention whereof for the future, be it 
declared and enacted by his excellency, the governor, council and 
representatives in general court assembled, and by the authority of 
the same, that no mulatto or negro slave shall hereafter be manu- 
mitted, discharged or set free until sufficient security be given to 
the treasurer of the town or place where such person dwells, in a 
valuable sum, not less than fifty pounds, to secure and indemnify 
the town or place from all charges for or about such mulatto or 



SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 207 

negro to be manumitted or set at liberty, in case lie or she, by sick- 
ness, lameness, or otherwise be rendered incapable to support him 
or herself. And no mulatto or negro hereafter manumitted shall 
be deemed or accounted free for whom security shall not be given 
as aforesaid ; but shall be the proper charge of their respective 
masters or mistresses, in case they stand in need of relief and sup- 
port, notwithstanding any manumission or instrument of freedom 
to them made or given, and shall also be liable at all times to be 
put forth to service by the selectmen of the town." [Acts and 
Laws of Massachusetts.] 



Section 271. 

Sick or Lame Servants — Virginia, 1705. 

And if any servant shall happen to fall sick or lame, during 
the time of service, so that he or she becomes of little or no use to 
his or her master or owner, but rather a charge, the said master or 
owner shall not put away the said servant, but shall maintain him 
or her during the whole time he or she was before obliged to serve 
by indenture, custom or order of court. [Hening's Statutes, iiL 
450.] 

Section 272. 

Servants' Freedom Dues — Virginia, 1705. 

And whereas, there has been a good and laudable custom of 
allowing servants corn and clothes for their present support, upon 
their freedom, but nothing in that nature ever made certain, be it 
also enacted by the authority aforesaid, and it is hereby enacted, 
that there shall be paid and allowed to every imported servant, not 
having yearly wages, at the time of service ended, by the master 
or owner of such servant, viz : to every male servant, ten bushels 
of Indian corn, or thirty shillings in money, or the value thereof 
in goods, and one well fixed musket or fuzee, of the value of 
twenty shillings at least; and to every woman servant, fifteen bush- 
els of Indian corn and forty shillings in money, or the value 
thereof in goods ; which, upon refusal, shall be ordered, with costs, 



208 SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 

upon petition to the county court, in manner as is herein before 
directed for servants' complaints to be heard. [Hening's Statutes, 
iii. 451.] 

Section 273. 

Punishment of Outlying Slaves — Virginia, 1705. 

And whereas, many times, slaves run away and lie out, hid and 
lurking in swamps, woods and other obscure places, killing hogs 
and committing other injuries to the inhabitants of this, her majes- 
ty's colony and dominion ; be it therefore enacted, by the authority 
aforesaid, and it is hereby enacted, that in all such cases, upon in- 
telligence given of any slaves lying out, as aforesaid, any two jus- 
tices (quorum unus) of the peace of the county wherein such slave 
is supposed to lurk or do mischief, shall be and are empowered and 
required to issue proclamation against all such slaves, reciting their 
names, and owners' names, if they are known, and thereby requir- 
ing them, and every one of them, forthwith to surrender them- 
selves; and also empowering the sheriff of the said county to take 
such power with him as he shall think fit and necessary for the 
effectual apprehending such outlying slave or slaves, and go in 
search of them : which proclamation shall be published on a Sab- 
bath day, at the door of every church and chapel in said county, 
by the parish clerk or reader of the church, immediately after 
divine worship; and in case any slave against whom proclamation 
hath been thus issued and once published at any church or chapel, 
as aforesaid, stay out and do not immediately return home, it shall 
be lawful for any person or persons whatsoever, to kill and destroy 
such slaves by such ways and means as he, she or they shall think 
fit, without accusation or impeachment of any crime for the same. 
And if any slave that hath run away and lain out, as aforesaid, 
shall be apprehended by the sheriff, or any other person, upon the 
application of the owner of the said slave, it shall and may be law- 
ful for the county court to order such punishment to the said slave, 
either by dismembering or any other way, not touching his life, as 
they in their discretion shall think fit for the reclaiming any such 
incorrigible slave and terrifying others from the like practices. 

Provided always, and it is further enacted, that for every slave 



SLAVEKY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 209 

killed, in pursuance of this act, or put to death by law, the master 
or owner of such slave shall be paid by the public. [Hening's 
Statutes, iii. 460, 461.] 

Section 274. 

Baptism of Slaves— New York, 1706. 

" Whereas, divers of her majesty's good subjects, inhabitants of 
this colony, now are, and have been willing that such negro, In- 
dian and mulatto slaves, who belong to them and desire the same 
should be baptized, but are deterred and hindered therefrom by 
reason of a groundless opinion that hath spread itself in this col- 
ony, that by baptizing of such negro, Indian, or mulatto slave 
they would become free and ought to be set at liberty. In order, 
therefore, to put an end to all such doubts and scruples as have, or 
hereafter at any time may arise about the same, be it enacted by 
the governor, council and assembly, and it is hereby enacted by 
the authority of the same, that the baptizing of any negro, Indian, 
or mulatto slave shall not be any cause or reason for the setting 
ithem or any of them at liberty." [Laws of New York (ed. 1752), 
p. 69.] 

Section 275. 

No Slave Admitted as a Witness For or Against Freemen — New York, 1706. 

" No slave, whatsoever, in this colony, shall, at any time, be 
admitted as a witness for or against any freeman, in any case, mat- 
ter or cause, civil or criminal, whatsoever." [Laws of New York 
(1752), p. 69.] 

Section 276. 

Drunkenness, Cursing or Swearing, etc. — New York, 1708. 

" Every negro, Indian, or other slaves that shall be found 
guilty of any of the above said facts [drunkenness, cursing or 
swearing], or talk impudently to any Christian, shall suffer so 
14 



210 SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 

many stripes, at some public place, as the justice of the peace in 
such place where such offense is committed shall think fit, not 
exceeding forty." [Laws of New York (1752), p. 72.] 



Section 277. 

Punishment of Criminal Slaves — Pennsylvania, 1707. 

At a provincial council, held at Philadelphia, on the 25th of 
February, 1707, "a petition from William Righton and Robert 
Grace, directed to the governor alone, being presented to him, the 
governor thought fit to lay it before the council, the matter of 
which petition was, that Toney, a negro slave of the said Righton, 
Quashy, a like slave of the said Grace's, were lately, at a special 
court held for that purpose in this town, condemned to death for 
burglary proved against them; but forasmuch as it will be of very 
great damage to the petitioners should their said slaves' lives be 
taken, since there is no provision in this government, as is usual in 
other places, for a competent restitution to the owners who lose 
their slaves by the hand of public justice, therefore they humbly 
pray, that, in mercy to the said owners, the lives of their slaves 
may be spared, and that they may be suffered to transport them, 
and instead of death, that they may have the liberty to inflict on 
them such corporal punishment as may be requisite for a terror to* 
others of their color, which the said owners will take care to have 
duly executed upon them." 

The petition of the owners of the slaves was granted, and the 
council ordered that the slaves be punished in the following man- 
ner: 

" They shall be led from the market place, up the second street 
and down through the front street to the bridge, with their arms 
extended and tied to a pole across their necks, a cart going before 
them, and that they shall be severely whipped, all the way as they 
pass, upon the bare back and shoulders. This punishment shall be 
repeated for three market days successively ; in the meantime they 
shall lie in irons in the prison, at the owners' charge, until they 
have such an opportunity as shall best please them for transporta- 
tion: all which being duly performed, the sentence of death shall 



SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 211 

be entirely remitted." [Minutes of the Provincial Council of Penn- 
sylvania, vol. ii. 422.] 



Section 278. 

Indian Slaves — Carolina, 1708. 

"Be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, that the captain or 
other person commanding-in-chief, commissioned for such an expe- 
dition, as aforesaid, is hereby nominated and appointed commis- 
sioner to buy all prisoners of the said Indian enemies, above the 
age of twelve years, that shall be taken captive, either by white 
man or Indian, in the said expedition, as heretofore ; and the slaves 
so bought shall be taken care of and delivered by the said captain 
or other person commanding-in-chief, to the public receiver, who 
is hereby required and commanded to pay all such sum or sums of 
money that shall be drawn upon him by the commissioner afore- 
said, for all such slave or slaves as he, the said commissioner, shall 
purchase, not exceeding the sum of seven pounds for every Indian 
slave. And the public receiver is hereby empowered to ship off to 
some islands of the West Indies the slaves so bought and delivered 
to him by the commissioner aforesaid, to be there sold, or dispose 
of them here, for the use of the public, to any person or persons 
who shall enter into bonds, with the penalty of two hundred 
pounds, not to send or carry any slave or slaves so bought by him 
or them to any part or place within this province or to the north- 
ward thereof." [Statutes of South Carolina, ii. 325.] 



Section 279. 

Slaves — Indians — Massachusetts, 1712. 

An act prohibiting the importation or bringing into this prov- 
ince any Indian servants or slaves. 

Whereas, divers conspiracies, outrages, barbarities, murders, 
burglaries, thefts, and other notorious crimes and enormities, at 
sundry times and especially of late, have been perpetrated and com- 
mitted by Indians and other slaves, within several of her majesty's 



212 SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 

plantations in America, being of a malicious, surly and revengeful 
spirit, rude and insolent in their behavior and very ungovernable ; 
the over-great number and increase whereof within this province 
is likely to prove of pernicious and fatal consequence to her maj- 
esty's subjects and interests here, unless speedily remedied, and is 
a discouragement to the importation of white Christian servants, 
this province being differently circumstanced from the plantations 
in the islands, and having great numbers of the Indian natives of 
the country within and about them, and at this time under the sor- 
rowful effects of their rebellion and hostilities ; be it therefore 
enacted by his excellency, the governor, council and representa- 
tives, in general court assembled, and by the authority of the same, 
that, from and after the publication of this act, all Indians, male 
or female, of what age soever, imported or brought into this prov- 
ince, shall be forfeited to her majesty for and towards the support 
of the government, unless the person or persons importing or 
bringing in such Indian or Indians shall give security at the secre- 
tary's office, of fifty pounds per head, to transport and carry out 
the same again within the space of one month next after their com- 
ing in, not to be returned back to this province. And every mas- 
ter or other vessel, merchant or person whatsoever, importing or 
bringing into this province, by sea or land, any Indian or Indians, 
male or female, within the space of twenty-four hours next after 
their arrival or coming in, shall report and enter their names, 
number and sex, and give security in the secretary's office, as 
aforesaid, on pain of forfeiting to her majesty, for the support of 
the government, the sum of fifty pounds per head, to be sued for 
and recovered in any of her majesty's courts of record by action, 
bill, complaint or information. And the fee to be paid for such 
entry and bond, as aforesaid, shall be two shillings and six pence, 
and no more." [Acts and Laws of Massachusetts from 1692 to 
1719. (London. Printed by John Baskett, printer to the king. 
1724), pp. 281, 282.] 

Section 280. 

White Servants— Carolina, 1712. 

*" Every master or importer of white servants into this colony, 



SLAVEJRY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 213 

claiming from the public receiver the benefit of this act, shall take 
an oath before the public receiver, that, to the best knowledge he 
could possibly procure by such methods as he could with conven- 
iencey make use of for finding out the truth, none of the said ser- 
vants, for importing of whom he claims the benefits of this act, 
were ever in any prison or goal, or publicly stigmatized for any 
matter criminal by the laws of Great Britain." [Statutes of South 
Carolina, ii. 386.] " If any importer of servants or masters of 
ships, or the like, shall endeavor by indirect means to elude the 
true intent and meaning of this act by bringing over criminals out 
of Newgate, or any other gaol of Great Britain, he shall forfeit 
and pay the sum of twenty-five pounds, current money of this 
province, for each person so brought over and sold." [Statutes of 
South Carolina.] 



Section 281. 

Slaves — Pennsylvania, 1712. 

In 1712 "William Southbe applied to the Assembly [of Penn- 
sylvania] for a law for the declaration of freedom to all negroes. 
The house resolved: 'It is neither just or convenient to set them 
at liberty J " [Hazard's Register of Pennsylvania, vol. v. p. 113.] 



Section 282. 

Carolina, 1712. 



Preamble to "An act for the better ordering and governing of 
negroes and slaves. " June 7, 1712. 

"Whereas, the plantations and estates of this province can not 
be well and sufficiently managed and brought into use without the 
labor and service of negroes and other slaves; and forasmuch as 
the said negroes and other slaves brought unto the people of this 
province for that purpose are of barbarous, wild, savage natures, 
and such as renders them wholly unqualified to be governed by the 
laws, customs and practices of this province ; but that it is abso- 
lutely necessary that such other constitutions, laws and orders 



214 SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 

should in this province be made and enacted for the good regu- 
lating and ordering of them as may restrain the disorders, rapines 
and inhumanity to which they are naturally prone and inclined, 
and may also tend to the safety and security of the people of this 
province and their estates." [Statutes of South Carolina, vii. 352.] 
The act to which this extract is a preamble declares that " great 
numbers of slaves which do not dwell in Charleston, on Sundays 
and holidays resort thither to drink, quarrel, fight, curse and swear 
and profane the Sabbath, and using and carrying of clubs and 
other mischievous weapons, resorting in great companies together, 
which may give them an opportunity of executing any wicked 
designs and purposes, to the damage and prejudice of the inhabit- 
ants of this province." Every master, mistress or overseer of a 
family in the province was required to " cause all his [or her] ne- 
gro houses to be searched diligently and effectually, once every 
fourteen days, for fugitives and runaway slaves, guns, swords, 
clubs and any other mischievous weapons." 



Section 283. 

Slaves — Runaways — Carolina, 1712. 

" And for the better security of all such persons that shall en- 
deavor to take any runaway, or shall examine any slave for his 
ticket, passing to and from his master's plantation, it is hereby de- 
clared lawful for any white person to beat, maim or assault, and if 
such negro slave can not otherwise be taken, to kill him, who shall 
refuse to show his ticket, or by running away or resistance endeavor 
to avoid being apprehended or taken." [Statutes of South Caro- 
lina, vii. 353.] 

u And in case such male negro shall run away the fourth time, 
and shall so continue for the space of thirty days, he, so offending, 
for the fourth offense, by order or procurement of the master, mis- 
tress, overseer or head of the family, shall be gelt ; and in case the 
negro or slave that shall be gelt shall die by reason of his gelding, 
and without any neglect of the person that shall order the same, 
the owner of the negro or slave so dying shall be paid for him out 
of the public treasury." 



SLAVEKY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 215 

"And if a female slave shall run away the fourth time, then she 
shall, by order of her master, mistress or overseer, be severely 
whipped, and be branded on the left cheek with the letter R, and 
her left ear cut off. " 

"And in case any negro or slave shall run away the fifth time, 
and shall so continue by the space of thirty days at one time, such 
slave shall be tried before two justices of the peace and three free- 
holders, as before directed by this act in case of murder, and being 
by them declared guilty of the offense, it shall be lawful for them 
to order the cord of one of the slave's legs to be cut off above the 
heel, or else to pronounce sentence of death upon the slave, at the 
discretion of the said justices. " [Statutes of South Carolina, vii. 
353-360.] 

Section 284. 

Indians, Negroes and Mulattoes — New Hampshire, 1714. 

" Whereas, great disorders, insolencies and burglaries are oft- 
times committed in the night time by Indian, negro and mulatto 
servants and slaves, to the disquiet and hurt of her majesty's good 
subjects, for prevention whereof be it enacted by his excellency, 
the governor, council and representatives, convened in General 
Assembly, and by the authority of the same, that no Indian, negro 
or mulatto servant or slave may presume to absent from the fam- 
ilies where they respectively belong, or be found abroad in the 
night time after nine o'clock, unless it be upon errand for their re- 
spective masters or owners." Penalty, " To be openly whipped 
by the constable, not exceeding ten stripes." [Laws of New 
Hampshire, p, 52.] 

Section 285. 

Baptism of Slaves — Carolina, 1712. 

u Since charity and the Christian religion, which we profess, 
obliges us to wish well to the souls of all men, and that religion 
may not be made a pretense to alter any man's property and right, 
and that no person may neglect to baptize their negroes or slaves, 
or suffer them to be baptized, for fear that thereby they should be 



216 SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 

manumitted and set free ; be it therefore enacted by the authority 
aforesaid, that it shall be, and is hereby declared lawful for any 
Indian or negro slave, or any other slave or slaves whatsoever, to 
receive and profess the Christian faith and be thereinto baptized ; 
but that, notwithstanding such slave or slaves shall receive and 
profess the Christian religion and be baptized, he or they shall not 
thereby be manumitted or set free, or his or their owner, master or 
mistress lose his or their civil right, property and authority over 
such slave or slaves, but that the slave or slaves, with respect to 
his servitude, shall remain and continue in the same state and con- 
dition that he or they was in before the making of this act." [Stat- 
utes of South Carolina, vii. 364, 365.] 



Section 286. 

Indian Servants or Slaves — New Hampshire, 1714. 

"Whereas, divers conspiracies, outrages, barbarities, murders^ 
burglaries, thefts, and other notorious crimes and enormities, at 
sundry times, have of late been perpetrated and committed by In- 
dians and other slaves within several of her majesty's plantations- 
in America, being of a malicious, surly and revengeful spirit, and 
very ungovernable, the over-great number and increase whereof 
within this province is likely to prove of fatal and pernicious 
consequences to her majesty's subjects and interests here, unless 
speedily remedied, and is a discouragement to the importation of 
white Christian servants, be it therefore enacted by his excellency^ 
the governor, council and representatives convened in General 
Assembly, and by the authority of the same, that from and after 
the publication of this act, all Indians, male or female, of what 
age soever, that .shall be imported or brought into this province 
by sea or land, every master of ship or other vessel, merchant or 
person, importing or bringing into this province such Indians, 
male or female, shall forfeit to her majesty, for the support of the 
government, the sum of ten pounds per head, to be sued for and 
recovered in any of her majesty's courts of record, by action, bill, 
complaint or otherwise, to be paid into the treasury for the use 
aforesaid." [Laws of New Hampshire, p. 53.] 



SLAVEKY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 217 

Section 287. 

Freedom Dues to Servants — Maryland, 1715. 

And, furthermore, for ascertaining what each servant, accord- 
ing to the custom of the country, shall have at the expiration of 
their servitude, be it enacted, by the authority, advice and consent 
aforesaid, that every man servant shall, at such time of expiration 
of his servitude, as aforesaid, have allowed and given him one new 
hat, a good suit — that is to say, coat and breeches, either of kersey 
or broadcloth — one new shirt of white linen, one new pair of 
French fall shoes and stockings, two hoes and one ax, and one gun 
of twenty shillings price, not above four foot by the barrel, nor 
less than three and a half, which said gun shall, by the master or 
mistress, in the presence of the next justice of the peace, be deliv- 
ered to such free man, under the penalty of five hundred pounds 
of tobacco on such master or mistress omitting so to do, and the 
like penalty on the said freeman selling or disposing thereof within 
the space of twelve months, the one half whereof to our sovereign 
lord the king, his heirs and successors, the other to the informer. 
All women servants, at the expiration of their servitude, as afore- 
said, shall have allowed and given a waistcoat and petticoat of new 
half-thick, or pennistone, a new shift of white linen, shoes and 
stockings, a blue apron, two caps of white linen, and three barrels 
of Indian corn. [Maxcy's Laws of Maryland, i. 112.] 



Section 288. 

Time of Servitude of Servants — Maryland, 1715. 

And, for the ascertaining and limiting servants' times of servi- 
tude, be it enacted by the authority, advice and consent aforesaid, 
that whosoever shall transport any servant into this province with- 
out indenture, such servant, being above the age of twenty-two 
years, shall be obliged to serve the full time of five years ; if be- 
tween eighteen and twenty -two years, without indentures, six years; 
if between fifteen and eighteen, without indentures, seven years ; 
if under fifteen, without indentures, shall serve till he or they ar- 
rive at the full age of twenty-two years. [Maxcy's Laws of Mary- 
land, i. 113.] 



.218 SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 

Section 289. 

Slaves and Baptism of Slaves — Maryland, 1715. 

And be it also enacted by the authority aforesaid, that all ne- 
groes and other slaves already imported, or hereafter to be im- 
ported into this province, and all children now born, or hereafter 
to be born of such negroes and slaves, shall be slaves during their 
natural lives. 

And, forasmuch as many people have neglected to baptize their 
negroes, or suffer them to be baptized, on a vain apprehension that 
negroes, by receiving the holy sacrament of baptism, are manumitted 
and set free, be it hereby further declared and enacted, by and 
with the authority, advice and consent aforesaid, that no negro or 
negroes, by receiving the holy sacrament of baptism, is thereby 
manumitted or set free, nor hath any right or title to freedom or 
manumission, more than he or they had before, any law, usage or 
custom to the contrary notwithstanding. [Maxcy's Laws of Mary- 
land, i. 115.] 



Section 290. 

Servants — Maryland, 1715. 

Prom and after the publication hereof no servant or servants 
whatsoever, within this province, whether by indenture or accord- 
ing to the custom of the country, or hired for wages, shall travel 
by land or water ten miles from the house of his, her or their mas- 
ter, mistress or dame, without a note under their hands, or under 
the hand of his or their overseer, if any be, under the penalty of 
being taken for a runaway, and to suffer such penalties as are here- 
after provided against runaways. 

And it is hereby further enacted, by the authority, advice and 
consent aforesaid, that any servant or servants, unlawfully ab- 
senting him, her or themselves from his, her or their said master, 
mistress, dame or overseer, shall make such satisfaction, by servi- 
tude or otherwise, at the discretion of the justices of the county 
court where such runaway servant did dwell, not exceeding ten 
days' service for any one day's absence, with such reasonable cost 



SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 219 

for his, her or their taking up as the court shall think fit. [Max- 
cy's Laws of Maryland, i. 110.] 



Section 291. 

Runaway Servants — Maryland, 1715. 

" For the better discovery of and encouragement of our neigh- 
bor Indians to seize, apprehend or take up any runaway servants 
or slaves and bring them before a magistrate, they shall, for a 
reward, have a match-coat paid him or them, or the value thereof, 
which said reward shall be paid and satisfied by the county where 
such person shall be so apprehended ; and such runaway, if not a 
slave, to reimburse the said county by servitude or otherwise, as 
the justices of the provincial or county court shall think fit." 
jfMaxcy's Laws of Maryland, i. 111.] 



Section 292. 

Food, Clothing, etc., for White Servants — Maryland, 1715. 

And be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, that if 
any master or mistress of any servant whatsoever, or overseer, by 
order or consent of any such master or mistress, shall deny, and 
not provide sufficient meat, drink, lodging and clothing, or shall 
unreasonably burthen them beyond their strength with labor, or 
debar them of their necessary rest and sleep, or excessively beat 
and abuse them, or shall give them above ten lashes for any one 
offense, the same being sufficiently proved before the justices of 
.the county courts, the said justices have hereby full power and 
authority, for the first and second offense, to levy such fine upon 
such offender as to them shall seem meet, not exceeding one thou- 
sand pounds of tobacco, to the use of his majesty, his heirs and 
successors, for the support of government; and for the third offense, 
to set such servant so wronged at liberty and free from servitude ; 
but in case the master or owner of any such servant shall think 
that he or they deserves greater correction, then the said master or 



220 SLAVEEY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 

owner of such servant or servants shall or may carry them before 
any justice of the peace, who, hearing the complaint, shall order 
such correction as he shall see fit, not exceeding thirty-nine lashes 
for any one offense. [Maxcy's Laws of Maryland, i. 115.] 



Section 293. 

Reward for Capture of Indian Enemy — Carolina, 1716. 

"Any Tuscarora Indian who shall, after the ratification of thi& 
act, take captive any of our Indian enemies, shall have given up 
to him, in the room thereof, one Tuscarora Indian slave." [Stat- 
utes of South Carolina, ii. 636, 637.] 



Section 294. 

An Act for Restraining Inhuman Severities — New Hampshire, 1718. 

11 Be it enacted," etc., " that for the prevention and restraining 
inhuman severities, which, by evil masters or overseers, may be 
used towards their Christian servants, that from and after the pub- 
lication hereof, that if any man smite out the eye or tooth of his 
man servant or maid servant, or otherwise maim or disfigure them 
much, unless it be by mere casualty, he shall let him or her go 
free from his service, and shall allow such further recompense aa 
the court of quarter sessions shall adjudge him. 

"And it is further enacted and ordained by the authority afore- 
said, that if any person or persons whatever, within this province,, 
shall wilfully kill his Indian or negro servant or servants, he shall 
be punished with death." [Laws of New Hampshire, p. 101.] 



Section 295. 

Evidence of Slaves against a Christian White Person — Maryland, 1717. 

Whereas, it may be of very dangerous consequence to admit 
and allow as evidences in law in any of the courts of record, or 



SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 221 

before any magistrate within this province, any negro or mulatto 
slave or free negro, or mulatto born of a white woman, during their 
servitude appointed by law, or any Indian slave, or free Indian 
natives of this or the neighboring provinces ; be it therefore en- 
acted by the right honorable the lord proprietary, by and with the 
advice and consent of his lordship's governor, and the upper and 
lower houses of Assembly, and by the authority of the same, that 
from and after the end of this present session of Assembly, no 
negro or mulatto slave, free negro, or mulatto born of a white 
woman, during his time of servitude by law, or any Indian slave, or 
free Indian natives of this or the neighboring provinces, be admit- 
ted and received as good and valid evidence in law in any matter 
or thing whatsoever depending before any court of record or be- 
fore any magistrate within this province wherein any Christian 
white person is concerned. [Maxcy's Laws of Maryland, i. 140.] 



Section 296. 

Slaves' Rewards for Killing Enemies, etc. — Carolina, 1719. 

" If any slave shall, in actual invasion, kill or take one or more 
*of our enemies, and the same shall prove by any white person to 
be done by him [he], shall for his reward, at the charge of the 
public, have ten pounds paid him by the public receiver for such 
his taking or killing everyone of our enemies, as aforesaid, besides 
what slaves or other plunder he shall take from the enemy." [Stat- 
utes of South Carolina, iii. 109, 110.] 



Section 297. 

Indian Slaves — Carolina, 1719. 

" An Indian slave being reputed of much less value than a 
negro, all persons possessed of Indian slaves shall pay for each 
Indian in proportion to half the value of what shall- be rated and 
imposed for each negro, and no more." [Statutes of South Caro- 
lina, iii. 77 ] 



222 SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 

Section 298. 

White Servants, etc. — South Carolina, 1721. 

"And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that the- 
said courts hereby erected shall have full power to imprison obsti- 
nate and incorrigible servants who shall desert their masters' ser- 
vice or refuse to work, and to appoint their allowance to be bread 
and water, for which the marshal or keeper of the prison shall be 
allowed two shillings and six pence, current money, per diem, in 
full for all fees, and no more, and to inflict corporal punishment if 
they shall continue obstinate, as often as they in their discretion 
shall see needful, not exceeding twenty lashes each time, on the 
bare back." [Statutes of South Carolina (Act for Establishing 
County and Precinct Courts, sec. 23), vii. 171.] 



Section 299. 

Slaves Stealing Under Pretense of Hunger — Carolina, 1722. 

"Whereas, negroes and other slaves, under pretense of hunger^ 
do frequently break open corn-houses and rice-houses, and steal 
from thence corn and rice, and such offenses have been deemed 
burglary ; be it therefore enacted by the authority aforesaid, that 
for the first offense of this kind he shall not suffer death, but be 
punished with branding on the right cheek and be whipped not 
exceeding thirty-nine lashes ; for the second offense, he shall be 
branded on the left cheek and be whipped not exceeding thirty- 
nine lashes ; and for the third offense, he shall suffer death ; any- 
thing herein before contained to the contrary notwithstanding.'* 
[Statutes of South Carolina, vii. 374.] 



Section 300. 

Cruelty to Slaves — Carolina, 1722. 

" If any negro or other slave, under punishment by his master,, 
or his order, for running away or any other crimes or misdemeanors 
towards his said master, unfortunately shall suffer in life or mem- 



SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 223 

ber, which seldom happens, no person whatsoever shall be liable to 
any penalty therefor. But if any person shall, out of cruelty, or 
wilfully kill a negro or other slave of his own, he shall pay into 
the public treasury fifty pounds proclamation money ; but if he 
shall so kill the slave of another man, he shall pay to the owner of 
the negro slave the full value, and into the public treasury fifty 
pounds proclamation money; but not to be liable to any other pun- 
ishment or forfeiture for the same." [Statutes of South Carolina, 
vii. 381.] 

Section 301. 

Slaves Striking a White Person — Maryland, 1723. 

If it shall so happen, at any time, that any negro or other slave 
shall strike any white person, it shall and may be lawful, upon 
proof made thereof, either by the oath of the party so struck or 
otherwise, before any justice of the peace, for such justice to cause 
one of the negro's or other slave's ears so offending to be cropped. 5 ' 
[Maxcy's Laws of Maryland, i. 168.] 



Section 302. 

How Slaves may be Emancipated — Virginia, 1723. 

"And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that no 
negro, mulatto or Indian slaves shall be set free upon any pretense 
whatsoever, except for some meritorious services, to be adjudged 
and allowed by the governor and council for the time being, and a 
license thereupon first had and obtained. And that where any 
slave shall be set free by his master or owner, otherwise than is 
herein before directed, it shall and may be lawful for the church 
wardens of the parish wherein such negro, mulatto or Indian shall 
reside for the space of one month next after his or her being set 
free, and they are hereby authorized and required to take up and 
sell the said negro, mulatto or Indian as slaves, at the next court 
held for the said county, by public outcry ; and that the moneys 
arising by such sale shall be applied to the use of the said parish 
by the vestry thereof." [Hening's Statutes, iv. 132.] 



^24 SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 

Section 303. 

Punishment of Slaves for Certain Crimes — Maryland, 1729. 

" Whereas, several petit treasons and cruel and horrid murders 
have been lately committed by negroes, which cruelties they were 
instigated to commit, and hereafter may be instigated to commit 
w T ith the like inhumanity, because they have no sense of shame or 
apprehension of future rewards or punishments ; and that the man- 
ner of executing offenders prescribed by the laws of England is 
not sufficient to deter a people from committing the greatest cruel- 
ties, who only consider the rigor and severity of punishment; be 
it therefore enacted by the right honorable the lord proprietary, by 
and with the advice and consent of his lordship's governor, and 
the upper and lower houses of Assembly and the authority of the 
same, that when any negro or other slave shall be convict by con- 
fession or verdict of a jury of any petit treason or murder, or wil- 
fully burning of dwelling houses, it shall and may be lawful for 
the justices before whom such conviction shall be, to give judg- 
ment against such negro or other slave to have the right hand cut 
off, to be hanged in the usual manner, the head severed from the 
body, the body divided into four quarters, and head and quarters 
set up in the most public places of the county where such act was 
committed." [Maxcy's Laws of Maryland, i. 190.] 



Section 304. 

Slaves shall not Hunt, etc. — North Carolina, 1729. 

"And whereas, great damages are frequently done by slaves 
being permitted to hunt or range with dogs or guns ; for preven- 
tion whereof, be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, that it shall 
not be lawful for any slave, on any pretense whatsoever, to go, 
range or hunt on any person's land other than his master's, with 
dog or gun, or any weapon, unless there be a white man in his 
company, under the penalty of twenty shillings, to be paid by his 
master, for every offense, unto the owner of the land whereon such 
slave shall range or hunt; and that no slave shall travel from his 
master's land by himself to any other place, unless he shall keep 



SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 225 

the most usual and accustomed road ; and if any slave shall offend 
contrary hereto, it shall be lawful for the owner of the land 
whereon any slave shall be found, to give him a severe whipping, 
not exceeding forty lashes; and if any loose, disorderly or sus- 
pected person be found drinking, eating or keeping company with 
slaves, in the night time, such person shall be apprehended and 
carried before a justice of the peace ; and if he can not give a good 
and satisfactory account of his behavior, such person shall be whip- 
ped, at the discretion of the justice, not exceeding forty lashes. 

"And for the better suppressing of negroes traveling and asso- 
ciating themselves together in great numbers, to the terror and 
damage of the white people, be it enacted bylhe authority afore- 
said, that if any negro or negroes shall presume to travel in the 
night, or be found in the quarters or kitchens among other persons' 
negroes, such negroes so found shall receive correction, not exceed- 
ing forty lashes, as aforesaid ; and such negroes in whose company 
they shall be found shall receive correction, not exceeding twenty 
lashes. 

"Provided always, that nothing in this act shall be construed 
to prevent any person from sending his slaves on his lawful busi- 
ness, with a pass in writing; nor to hinder neighbors' negroes 
intermarrying together, so that license being first had and obtained 
of their several masters." [Martin's Laws of North Carolina, i. 36.] 



Section 305. 

Not Above Three Slaves to Meet Together— New York, 1730. 

"And forasmuch as the number of slaves in the cities of New- 
York and Albany, as also within the several counties, towns and 
manors within this colony, doth daily increase, and that they have 
been oftentimes guilty of confederating together in running away, 
and of other ill and dangerous practices, be it therefore enacted by 
the aforesaid authority, that it shall not hereafter be lawful for above 
three slaves to meet together at any time, nor at any other place, 
than when it shall happen they meet in some servile employment 
for their masters' or mistresses' profit, and by their masters' or mis- 



226 SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 

tresses' consent, upon the penalty of being whipped upon the naked 
back, at the discretion of any one justice of the peace, not exceed- 
ing forty lashes for each offense. " [Laws of New York (ed. 1752), 
p. 194.] 

Section 306. 

Slaves May be Punished at Discretion of Masters— New York, 1730. 

" Hereafter it shall and may be lawful for any master or mis- 
tress to punish his, her or their slave or slaves for their crime and 
offenses at discretion, not extending to life or limb." [Laws of 
New York (ed. 1752), p. 194.] 



Section 307. 

Apparel and Food of Slaves — South Carolina, 1740. 

"Whereas, many of the slaves of this province wear clothes 
much above the condition of slaves, for the procuring whereof 
they use sinister and evil methods; for the prevention, therefore, 
of such practices for the future, be it enacted by the authority 
aforesaid, that no owner or proprietor of any slave, negro or other 
slave (except livery men and boys) shall permit or suffer such negro 
or other slave to have or wear any sort of apparel whatsoever finer, 
other, or of greater value than negro cloth, duffils, kerseys, osna- 
brigs, blue linen, check linen, or coarse garlix or calicoes, checked 
cottons or Scotch plaids, under the penalty of forfeiting all and 
every such apparel and garment that any person shall permit or 
suffer his negro or other slave to have or wear, finer, other or of 
greater value than negro cloth, duffils, coarse kerseys, osnabrigs, 
blue linen, check linen, or coarse garlix or calicoes, checked cot- 
tons or Scotch plaids, as aforesaid, and all and every constable and 
other persons are hereby authorized, empowered and required, 
when and as often as they shall find any such negro slave or other 
slave having on or wearing any sort of garment or apparel whatso- 
ever finer, other or of greater value than negro cloth, duffils, coarse 
kerseys, osnabrigs, blue linen, check linen, or coarse garlix or cali- 



SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 227 

coes, checked cottons or Scotch plaids, as aforesaid, to seize and 
take away the same, to their own use, benefit and behoof, any law, 
usage or custom to the contrary notwithstanding." [Statutes of 
South Carolina, vii. 412.] 

Owners of slaves, or those who had " the care, government or 
charge of any slave or slaves," and who neglected or refused to 
allow such slave or slaves " sufficient clothing, covering [and] 
food," were liable to be fined " in any sum not exceeding twenty 
pounds current money for each offense." [lb. vii. 411.] 



Section 308. 



An Act to Make Stealing of Slaves a Felony, Without Benefit of Gergy — Vir- 
ginia, 1732. 

Whereas, divers wicked and evil disposed persons, intending 
the ruin and impoverishing of their fellow subjects, have devised 
and of late times frequently practised in several parts of this col- 
ony, unlawful and wicked courses, in secretly taking and carrying 
away sundry negro, mulatto and Indian slaves, and conveying them 
out of this dominion or into places remote or unknown to the 
owners of such slaves, to the insupportable wrong and damage of 
many of his majesty's good subjects ; for prevention whereof, be it 
enacted, by the lieutenant-governor, council and burgesses of this 
present General Assembly, and it is hereby enacted and declared, 
by the authority of the same, that if any person or persons, from 
and after the passing of this act, shall steal any negro, mulatto or 
Indian slave whatsoever, out of or from the possession of the owner 
or overseer of such slave, the person or persons so offending shall 
be and are hereby declared to be felons, and shall suffer death 
without benefit of clergy. [Hening's Statutes, iv. 324, 325.] 



Section 309. 

Slaves not to be Overworked — South Carolina, 1740. 

"Whereas, many owners of slaves, and others who have the care, 



228 SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 

management and overseeing of slaves, do confine them so closely to 
hard labor that they have not sufficient time for natural rest, be it 
therefore enacted, by the authority aforesaid, that if any owner of 
slaves, or other person who shall have the care, management or 
overseeing of any slaves, shall work or put to labor any such slave 
or slaves, more than fifteen hours in four and twenty hours, from 
the twenty-fifth day of March to the twenty-fifth day of September, 
or more than fourteen hours in four and twenty hours, from the 
twenty-fifth day of September to the twenty-fifth day of March, 
every such person shall forfeit any sum not exceeding twenty 
pounds nor under five pounds, current money, for every time he, 
she or they shall offend herein, at the discretion of the justice be- 
fore whom such complaint shall be made." [Statutes of South Car- 
olina, vii. 413.] 

Section 310, 

Penalty for Teaching Slaves to Write — South Carolina, 1740. 

"And whereas, the having of slaves taught to write, or suffering 
them to be employed in writing, may be attended with great in- 
conveniences, be it therefore enacted, by the authority aforesaid, 
that all and every person and persons, whatsoever, who shall here- 
after teach or cause any slave or slaves to be taught to write, or 
shall use or employ any slave as a scribe in any manner of writing 
whatsoever, hereafter taught to write, every such person or per- 
sons shall, for every such offense, forfeit the sum of one hundred 
pounds current money. " [Statutes of South Carolina, vii. 413.] 

In a notice prefixed to the seventh volume of the Statutes at 
Large of South Carolina (which was printed in 1840), the editor 
says: "As it is an age when our institutions are likely to be mis- 
represented, the editor thinks it proper to call the attention of the 
reader to the fact that all the laws on the subject of slaves, from the 
year 1690 to 1751, included between the pages 343 and 426 of this 
volume, expired before the revolution. If the false philanthropist 
of the day chooses to quarrel with any enactments during that 
period, let him recollect that they were British, not American laws, 
and that the free people of South Carolina have no cause to blush 
at any enactment of theirs. " 



SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 229 

Jefferson, in his Notes on Virginia, says : " During the regal 
government, we had at one time obtained a law which imposed 
such a duty on the importation of slaves as amounted nearly to a 
prohibition, when one inconsiderate Assembly, placed under a pe- 
culiarity of circumstances, repealed the law. This repeal met a joy- 
ful sanction from the then sovereign, and no devices, no expedients 
which could ever after be attempted by subsequent Assemblies, and 
they seldom met without attempting them, could succeed in getting 
the royal assent to a renewal of the duty. In the very first session 
held under a republican government the Assembly passed a law 
for the perpetual prohibition of the importation of slaves." [Jeffer- 
son's Notes on Virginia (Randolph's ed.), p. 96.] 



Section 311 



From the " Laws of the Government of New Castle, Kent and Sussex upon Dela- 
ware : Published by Order of the Assembly. Philadelphia. Printed and Sold 
by B. Franklin, at the New Printing Office in Market Street. MDCCXLI." 
[1741.] 

Slaves Carrying Arms. 

" If any negro or mulatto slave shall presume to carry any 
guns, swords, pistols, fowling-pieces, clubs, or. other arms and 
weapons whatsoever, without his master's special license for the 
same, and be convicted thereof before a magistrate, he shall be 
whipped with twenty-one lashes upon his bare back." [p. 67.] 

Punishment for Stealing Slaves, Horses, etc. 

" Be it enacted by the Honorable George Thomas, Esq., by and 
with his majesty's royal approbation, lieutenant-governor and com- 
mander-in-chief of the counties of New-Castle, Kent and Sussex 
on Delaware, and province of Pennsylvania, by and with the ad- 
vice and consent of the representatives of the freemen of the said 
counties in General Assembly met, and by the authority of the 
same, that from and after the publication of this act, every person 
who shall feloniously steal, take or carry away any negro or mu- 
latto slave, horse, gelding, mare or colt, or aid or assist any person 
or persons in committing any such offense, and being thereof legally 
convicted or attainted by verdict of a jury or confession of the 



230 SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 

party offending, or being indicted thereof, shall stand mute or not 
directly answer to the indictment endorsed with the name or names 
of the prosecutor or prosecutors, or shall peremptorily challenge 
above the number of twenty persons legally returned to be of the 
jury for the trial of such offenders, shall suffer death, without ben- 
efit of clergy, in like manner as such felons by the laws now in 
force in that part of Great Britain called England, any law of this 
government to the contrary notwithstanding." [lb. p. 165.] 

Servants. 

"And be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, that such 
servants as shall be imported into this government, and truly serve 
his or her time, mentioned in his or her indenture, shall, at the 
expiration of the term of his or her servitude, have a discharge 
from his or her master or mistress, and by them be clothed with 
two suits of apparel, whereof one shall be new, to be approved by 
at least one justice of the peace, upon complaint to him by such 
servant becoming free." [lb. p. 133.] 

Free Negroes or Mulattoes Dealing with Slaves, etc. 

" If any free negro or mulatto shall barter, trade or deal with 
any servant or negro or mulatto slave, without license had, as afore- 
said, he or she shall make restitution to the master or owner of 
such servant or slave, and also be publicly whipped with any num- 
ber of lashes not exceeding twenty-one." [lb. p. 137.] 



Section 312. 



Marriages of Servants, etc. — North Carolina, 1741. 

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that if 
any minister or reader shall wittingly publish, or cause or suffer to 
be published, the bans of matrimony between any servants, or 
between a free person and a servant; or if any minister or justice 
of the peace shall wittingly celebrate the rites of matrimony be- 
tween any such, without a certificate from the master or mistress 
of every such servant that it is done by their consent, he shall for- 
feit and pay five pounds proclamation money, to the use of the 



SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 231 

master or owner of such servant, to be recovered by action of debt, 
bill, plaint or information ; and every servant so married, without 
the consent of his or her mistress, shall, for his or her said offense, 
serve his or her said master or mistress, their executors, adminis- 
trators or assigns, one whole year after the time of service by 
indenture or custom is expired. 

And for prevention of that abominable mixture and spurious 
issue which hereafter may increase in this government by white 
men and women intermarrying with Indians, negroes, mustees, or 
mulattoes, be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, that if any 
white man or woman, being free, shall intermarry with an Indian, 
negro, mustee or mulatto man or woman, or any person of mixed 
blood, to the third generation, bond or free, he shall, by judgment 
of the county court, forfeit and pay the sum of fifty pounds pro- 
clamation money, to the use of the parish. 

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that no 
minister of the Church of England, or other minister, or justice 
of the peace, or other person whatsoever within this government, 
shall hereafter presume to marry a white man with an Indian, 
negro, mustee or mulatto woman, or any person of mixed blood, 
as aforesaid, knowing them to be so, upon pain of forfeiting and 
paying, for every such offense, the sum of fifty pounds proclama- 
tion money, to be applied as aforesaid. [Martin's Laws of North 
Carolina, i. 45, 46.] 



Section 313. 

Iron Collar for Certain Runaways — North Carolina, 1741. 

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that when 
the keeper of the said public gaol shall, by direction of such court 
as aforesaid, let out any negro or runaway to hire to any person or 
persons whomsoever, the said keeper shall, at the time of his deliv- 
ery, cause an iron collar to be put on the neck of such negro or 
runaway, with the letters P. G. stamped thereon ; and that there- 
after the said keeper shall not be answerable for any escape of the 
said negro or runaway. [Martin's Laws of North Carolina, i. 63.] 



232 SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 

Section 314. 

Slaves Shall not Own Horses, Cattle or Hogs — North Carolina, 1741. 

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that no 
slave shall go from off the plantation or foot of land where such 
slave shall be appointed to live, without a certificate of leave in 
writing for so doing from his or her master or overseer (negroes 
wearing liveries always excepted). 

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that no 
slave shall be permitted, on any pretense whatsoever, to raise any 
horses, cattle or hogs ; and all horses, cattle and hogs that, six months 
from the date hereof, shall belong to any slave, or of any slave's 
mark in this government, shall be seized and sold by the church- 
wardens of the parish where such horses, cattle or hogs shall be, 
and the profit thereof be applied, one half to the use of the said 
parish, and the other half to the informer. 

And, whereas, many times slaves run away and lie out hid and 
lurking in swamps, woods and other obscure places, killing cattle 
and hogs, and committing other injuries to the inhabitants of this 
government, be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, that 
in all such cases, upon intelligence of any slave or slaves lying out 
as aforesaid, any two justices of the peace for the county wherein 
such slave or slaves are supposed to lurk or do mischief, shall and 
are hereby empowered and required to issue proclamations against 
such slave or slaves (reciting his or their name or names and the 
name or names of the owner or owners, if known), thereby requir- 
ing him or them, and every of them, forthwith to surrender him 
or themselves ; and also to empower and require the sheriff of the 
said county to take such power with him as he may think fit and 
necessary for going in search and pursuit of, and effectually appre- 
hending such outlying slave or slaves, which proclamation shall be 
published on a Sabbath day, at the door of every church or chapel, 
or, for want of such, at the place where divine service shall be per- 
formed in the said county, by the parish clerk or reader, immedi- 
ately after divine service, and if any slave or slaves, against whom 
proclamation hath been thus issued, stay out and do not immedi- 
ately return home, it shall be lawful for any person or persons 
whatsoever to kill and destroy such slave or slaves, by such ways 



SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITDUE. 233 

and means as he or she shall think fit, without accusation or im- 
peachment of any crime for the same. [Martin's Laws of North 
Carolina, i. 64, 65.] 

Section 315. 

Punishment of Negroes, Mulattoes and Indians for Giving False Testimony — 

North Carolina, 1741. 

Be it further enacted, that where any such negro, mulatto or 
Indian, bond or free, shall, upon due proof made, or pregnant cir- 
cumstances appearing before any county court within this govern- 
ment, be found to have given a false testimony, every such offender 
shall, without further trial, be ordered, by the said court, to have 
one ear nailed to the pillory and there stand for the space of one 
hour, and the said ear to be cut off, and thereafter the other ear 
nailed in like manner, and cut off at the expiration of one other 
hour; and, moreover, to order every such offender thirty-nine 
lashes, well laid on, on his or her bare back at the common whip- 
ping post. [Martin's Laws of North Carolina, i. 65.] 



Section 316. 

Slaves Shall not be Set Free, except, etc. — North Carolina, 1741. 

"No negro or mulatto slave shall be set free upon any pretense 
whatsoever, except for meritorious services, to be adjudged and al- 
lowed of by the county court, and license thereupon first had and 
obtained, and that where any slave shall be set free by his or her 
master or owner otherwise than is herein before directed, it shall 
and may be lawful for the church wardens of the parish wherein 
such negro, mulatto or Indian shall be found, at the expiration of 
six months next after his or her being set free, and they are hereby 
authorized and required to take up and sell the said negro, mulatto 
or Indian as a slave, at the next court to be held for the said county, 
at public vendue, and the moneys arising by such sale shall be ap- 
plied to the use of the parish by the vestry thereof; and if any 
negro, mulatto or Indian slave, set free or otherwise than is herein 
directed, shall depart this province within six months next after 



234 SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 

his or her freedom, and shall afterwards return into this govern- 
ment, it shall and may be lawful for the church wardens of the 
parish where such negro or mulatto shall be found at the expiration 
of one month next after his or her return into this government to 
take up such negro or mulatto and sell him or them as slaves, at 
the next court to be held for the county, at public vendue, and the 
moneys arising thereby to be applied by the vestry to the use of 
the parish, as aforesaid." [Martin's Laws of North Carolina, i. 66.] 



Section 317. 

Punishment for Stealing, Killing or Mismarking Cattle, etc. — North Carolina, 1741. 

"And be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, that if 
any negro, Indian or mulatto slave shall kill any horse, cattle or 
hog, belonging to any person whatsoever, without the consent of 
the owner or owners thereof, or shall steal, misbrand or mismark 
any horse, cattle or hog, such slave or slaves shall, for the first of- 
fense, suffer both his ears to be cut off, and be publicly whipped, 
at the discretion of the justices and freeholders before whom he or 
she shall be tried ; and for the second offense shall suffer death." 
[Martin's Laws of North Carolina, i. 50.] 



Section 318. 

Slaves Killed or Dying Under Punishment — North Carolina, 1741. 

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that if, in 
the dispersing any unlawful assemblies of rebel slaves or conspira- 
tors, or seizing the arms and ammunition of such as are prohibited by 
this act to keep the same, or in apprehending runaways, or in correc- 
tion by order of the county court, any slave shall happen to be killed 
or destroyed, the court of the county where such slave shall be 
killed, upon application of the owner of such slave, and due proof 
thereof made, shall put a valuation in proclamation money upon 
such slave so killed, and certify such valuation to the next session 
of Assembly, that the said Assembly may make suitable allowance 



SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 235 

thereupon to the master or owner of such slave. [Martin's Laws 
of North Carolina, i. 65.] 



Section 319. 

White Servants— North Carolina, 1741. 

No person whatsoever, being a Christian, or of Christian pa- 
rentage, who, from and after the ratification of this act, shall be 
imported or brought into this province, shall be deemed a servant 
for any term of years, unless the person importing him or her shall 
produce an indenture or some specialty or agreement, signifying 
that the person so imported did contract to serve such importer or 
his assigns any number of years, in consideration of his or her pass- 
age, or some other consideration therein expressed ; and upon any 
contest arising between the master of any vessel or other person 
importing any servant or servants, without indenture, upon any 
bargain or specialty, as aforesaid, the same shall be determined at 
the next county court to be held for the county where the said ser- 
vant or servants shall be imported, the justices of which court are 
hereby empowered to hear and determine the same in a summary 
way ; and such determination or judgment shall be conclusive and 
binding on the importer or servant or servants, either for the dis- 
charge of the said servant or servants, or to oblige him, her or 
them to serve the importer or his assigns, as the matter shall ap- 
pear. [Martin's Laws of North Carolina, i. 58.] 



Section 320. 

White Servants— North Carolina, 1741. 

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that if any 
Christian servant, whether he or she be a servant by importation 
or otherwise, shall, at any time or times, absent him or herself from 
the service of his or her master or mistress, without license first 
had, he or she shall satisfy and make good such loss of time by 
serving, after their time of service by indenture or otherwise is 
expired, double the time of service lost or neglected by such ab- 



236 SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 

sence ; and also such longer time as the county court shall think fit 
to adjudge in consideration of any further charge or damage the 
master or mistress of such servant may have sustained by reason 
of his or her absence as aforesaid. 

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that if 
any Christian servant shall lay violent hands on his or her master 
or mistress or overseer, or shall obstinately refuse to obey the law- 
ful commands of any of them, upon proof thereof by one or more 
evidences before any justice of the peace, he or she shall, for every 
such offense, suffer such corporal punishment as the said justice 
shall think fit to adjudge, not exceeding twenty-one lashes. 

And as an encouragement for Christian servants to perform 
their service with fidelity and cheerfulness, be it further enacted by 
the authority aforesaid, that all masters and owners of any servant 
or servants shall find and provide for their servant or servants whole- 
some and competent diet, clothing and lodging, at the discretion of 
the county court, and shall not, at any time, give immoderate cor- 
rection, neither shall, at any time, whip a Christian servant naked, 
without an order from a justice of the peace ; and if any person 
shall presume to whip a Christian servant naked, without such 
order, the person so offending shall forfeit and pay the sum of 
forty shillings proclamation money to the party injured, to be re- 
covered, with costs, upon petition to the county court (without the 
formal process of an action), as in and by this act is provided for 
servants' complaints to be heard and determined : provided com- 
plaint be made within six months after such whipping. 

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that every 
servant who shall be in gaol, for his, her or their own offense, shall 
serve his, her or their master or owner, double the time he, she or 
they shall there remain after the expiration of the time he, she or 
they have to serve by indenture or otherwise ; and further, serve 
his, her or their said master or owner such time as shall be ordered 
by the county court, as a satisfaction for the fees and other charges 
his, her or their master or owner hath expended for such servant 
or servants. 

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that in all 
cases of penal laws, whereby persons free are punishable by fine, 
servants shall be punished by whipping, at the discretion of any 



SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 237 

court or justice or justices before whom such fine or fines are recov- 
erable, not exceeding thirty-nine lashes, unless the servant so cul- 
pable can and will procure some person or persons to pay the fine. 
[Martin's Laws of North Carolina, i. 58, 59.] 



Section 321. 

Runaways — Servants or Slaves — North Carolina, 1741. 

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that when 
any runaway servant or slave shall be brought before any justice 
of the peace within this government, such justice shall, by his war- 
rant, commit the said runaway to the next constable, and therein 
also order him to give the said runaway so many lashes as the said 
justice shall think fit, not exceeding the number of thirty-nine, 
well laid on, on the bare back of such runaway, and then to be 
conveyed from constable to constable until the said runaway shall 
be carried home or to the public gaol, as aforesaid. [Martin's Laws 
of North Carolina, i. 63.] 



Section 322. 

Slaves Punishable for Defamation — Connecticut, 1750. 

"If any negro, Indian, or mulatto slave shall utter, publish or 
speak such words of or concerning any other person that would by 
law be objectionable if uttered, published or spoken by any free per- 
son of or concerning any other; such negro, Indian or mulatto 
slave being thereof convicted before any one assistant or justice of 
the peace (who are hereby empowered to hear and determine the 
same), shall be punished by whipping on the naked body, at the dis- 
cretion of the assistant or justice before whom the trial is (respect 
being had to the circumstances of the case), not exceeding forty 
stripes; and such slave so convict shall, by such authority, be sold 
or disposed of to defray all charges arising thereupon, unless the 
same be by his or her master or mistress paid and answered : pro- 
vided, nevertheless, that such slave be not debarred from making 
such pleas and offering such evidences in his, her or their defense 



238 SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 

or justification on such trial as any other person might make use of, 
being sued in an action of defamation, so far as relates to the trial 
before said assistant or justice, any thing above to the contrary not- 
withstanding." [Acts and Laws of Connecticut (1750), p. 40.] 



Section 323. 

Punishment for Going Abroad at Night — Connecticut, 1750. 

" If any negro, mulatto or Indian servant or slave shall be 
found abroad from home in the night season, after nine of the clock, 
without special order from his or their master or mistress, it shall 
be lawful for any person or persons to apprehend and secure such 
negro, mulatto or Indian servant or slave so offending, and him, 
her or them bring before the next assistant or justice of the peace, 
which authority shall have power to pass sentence upon such ser- 
vant or slave, and order him, her or them to be publicly whipped 
on the naked body, not exceeding ten stripes, and to pay cost of 
court, except his, her or their master or mistress shall redeem them 
by paying a fine not exceeding ten shillings." [Acts and Laws of 
Connecticut, p. 230.] 



Section 324. 

White Servants' Clothing— South Carolina, 1744. 

"And as it is customary in other of his majesty's colonies in 
America to make allowances of clothing to servants at the expira- 
tion of their servitude, be it enacted, by the authority aforesaid, that 
every man-servant shall, at such time of expiration of their servi- 
tude, as aforesaid, have allowed and given to him, one new hat, a 
good coat and breeches, either of kersey or broadcloth, two new 
shirts of coarse white, linen, one new pair of shoes and stockings; 
and all women servants, at the expiration of their servitude as afore- 
said, shall have allowed and given them a waistcoat and petticoat of 
new half thicks or coarse plains, two new shifts of white linen, a 
new pair of shoes and stockings, a blue apron, and two caps of white 
linen. " [Statutes of South Carolina, iii. 628.] 



SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 239 

Section 325. 

Slaves and Poison — South Carolina, 1751. 

" In case any slave shall teach or instruct another slave in the 
knowledge of any poisonous root, plant, herb or other sort of 
poison whatever, he or she so offending shall, upon conviction 
thereof, suffer death as a felon ; and the slave or slaves so taught 
or instructed shall suffer such punishment (not extending to life or 
limb) as shall be adjudged and determined by the justices and 
freeholders, or a majority of them, before whom such slave or 
slaves shall be tried." [Statutes of South Carolina, vii. 423.] 



Section 326. 

Slave Witnesses — Maryland, 1751. 

And be it further enacted, that any slave or slaves who shall 
give any false testimony against any slave or slaves who shall be 
prosecuted as aforesaid, and shall be thereof legally convict, shall 
have one ear cut off on the day of his or her conviction, and re- 
ceive thirty-nine stripes on the bare back, and that the other ear 
shall be cropped the next day, and the like number of stripes 
given the offender on his or her bare back. 

And, to the end that such slave or slaves as shall be produced 
as a witness or witnesses against other slave or slaves may be de- 
terred from giving false testimony, be it enacted, that the justices 
of assize, or either of them then sitting, or the justice of the 
county court who shall preside, shall admonish and charge such 
witness or witnesses to declare the truth, the whole truth, and 
nothing but the truth, and acquaint him, her or them with the 
danger and consequence of giving false testimony. [Maxcy's Laws 
of Maryland, i. 237.] 

Section 327. 

Slaves Rambling, etc. — Maryland, 1751. 

And be it further enacted, that where any slave shall be guilty 
of rambling, riding or going abroad in the night, or riding horses 



240 SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 

in the day time without leave, or running away, it shall and may 
be lawful for the justices of the county court, and they are hereby 
obliged, upon the application or complaint of the master or owner 
of such slave, or his, her or their order, or on the application or 
complaint of any other person who shall be any ways damnified or 
injured by such slave, immediately such slave to punish by whip- 
ping, cropping or branding in the cheek with the letter R, or 
otherwise, not extending to life or to render such slave unfit for 
labor. [Maxcy's Laws of Maryland, i. 237.] 



Section 328. 

Penalty for Selling Free Men as Slaves — Virginia, 1753. 

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that if any 
person shall import into this colony and here sell as a slave, any 
person or persons who have been free in any Christian country, 
island or plantation, such importer and seller shall forfeit and pay 
to the party from whom such free person shall recover his or her 
freedom double the sum for which such free person was sold, to be 
recovered in any court of record of this colony, with costs, accord- 
ing to the course of the common law, wherein the defendant shall 
not be permitted to plead in bar any act or statute for limitation of 
actions. [Hening's Statutes, vi. 357.] 



Section 329. 

Jews, etc., Shall not Have Christian Servants — Virginia, 1753. 

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that no 
negro, mulatto or Indian, although a Christian, or any Jew, Moor, 
Mohammedan, or other infidel, shall at any time purchase any Chris- 
tian servant, nor any other except of their own complexion, or such 
as by this act are declared slaves. And if any of the persons afore- 
said shall, nevertheless, presume to purchase a Christian white ser- 
vant, such servant shall immediately become free and be so held, 
deemed and taken. And if any person having such Christian ser- 



SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 241 

vant shall marry with a negro, mulatto, Indian, Jew, Moor, Mo- 
hammedan, or other infidel, such servant shall thereupon become 
freed from all service then due to such master or mistress. [Hen- 
ing's Statutes, vi. 359.] 



Section 330. 

Poor Persons of Full Age to be Set to Work — New Hampshire, 1766. 

Preamble: " Whereas, there are many poor people who spend 
their time idly and neglect to provide for themselves and those 
who depend upon them for subsistence by any lawful means, and 
neglect the care and education of their children, but suffer them to 
spend their time in play, idleness and a total neglect of those 
means by which they might be made useful members of society, 
notwithstanding the advantages for their improvement, by which 
neglect the number of beggars, as well as thieves and strollers, are 
increased, and many disorders committed; for remedy whereof 
the selectmen or overseers of the poor, with the assent of two jus- 
tices of the peace, were authorized to " set to work and employ all 
such persons, though of full age, married or unmarried, of whatever 
age they may be, if able of body to work or perform the service so 
appointed them, who live idly and use or exercise no ordinary and 
daily lawful trade or business by which they might get an honest 
livelihood and subsistence." "And the person or persons with 
whom such poor or idle or negligent persons shall be placed shall 
have the same legal authority over them as masters of apprentices 
have over them during their apprenticeship." The act declares 
that the term for which such poor or idle persons shall be placed 
out, by contract in writing, to work, " shall not exeeed one year at 
a time." [Laws of New Hampshire, pp. 199, 200.] 



Section 331. 

Indian and Negro Servants and Slaves — Connecticut, 1769. 

"And, whereas, Indian, negro and mulatto servants and slaves 
16 



242 SLAVEKY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 

are very apt to be turbulent, and often to be quarreling with white 
people, to the great disturbance of the peace, be it therefore en- 
acted, by the authority aforesaid, that if any Indian, negro or mu- 
latto servant or slave shall disturb the peace, as aforesaid, or shall 
offer to strike any white person, and be thereof convicted, such 
servant or slave shall be punished by whipping at the discretion 
of the court, assistant or justice that shall have cognizance thereof, 
not exceeding thirty stripes for one offense." [Acts and Laws of 
Connecticut (compiled in 1769), p. 185.] 



Section 332. 

Slaves— Georgia, 1770. 

'* In case any slave shall teach and instruct another slave in the 
knowledge of any poisonous root, plant, herb or other sort of a 
poison whatever, he or she offending shall, upon conviction thereof, 
suffer death as a felon." [Marbury & Crawford's Digest, 431.] 

" No slave or slaves shall be permitted to rent or hire any house, 
room, store or plantation on his or her own account, or to be used 
or occupied by any slave or slaves." [lb. 438.] 

"And, whereas, the having slaves taught to read, or suffering 
them to be employed in writing, may be attended with great in- 
convenience, be it therefore enacted, that all and every person and 
persons whatsoever who shall hereafter teach, or cause any slave or 
slaves to be taught to write or read writing, or shall use or employ 
any slave as a scribe in any manner of writing whatsoever, every 
such person and persons shall, for every such offense, forfeit the 
sum of twenty pounds sterling." [lb. p. 438.] 

Penalty for making slaves labor on the Sabbath, ten shillings 
for every slave; " work of absolute necessity and the necessary oc- 
casions of the family only excepted." [lb. 438.] 



Section 333. 

Connecticut, 1774. 



An act for prohibiting the importation of Indian, negro, or mu- 
latto slaves : 



SLAVERY AND OTHER FORMS OF SERVITUDE. 243 

Whereas, the increase of slaves in this colony is injurious to the 
poor, and inconvenient, be it enacted, by the governor, council and 
representatives, in general court assembled, and by the authority of 
the same, that no Indian, negro, or mulatto slave, shall at any time 
hereafter, be brought or imported into this colony, by sea or land, 
from any place or places whatsoever, to be disposed of, left, or sold, 
within this colony. 

" Be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, that any per- 
son or persons who shall hereafter, contrary to the true intent of 
this act, import or bring any Indian, negro, or mulatto slave or 
slaves into this colony, to be disposed of, left, or sold within same, 
or who knowing such slave or slaves to be imported and brought 
into this colony, shall receive or purchase them or any of them, shall 
forfeit and pay to the treasurer of this colony the sum of one hun- 
dred pounds lawful money for every slave so imported, brought 
into this colony, received or purchased, to be recovered by bill, 
plaint or information in any court of record proper to try the same, 
and that it shall be the duty of all constables and grand jurors to 
enquire after and make presentment of all breaches of this act." 
[Acts and Laws of Connecticut, passed by the General Court in 
1774.] 

Section 334. 

A Law Relating to a Common Whipper for Slaves — New York, 1730. 

"And be it enacted, by the same authority, that it shall and may 
be lawful hereafter, for every city, town and manor within this col- 
ony, to have and appoint a common whipper for their slaves; and 
for his salary it shall and may be lawful for any city, town or manor 
within this colony, at their common council or town meeting, to 
agree upon such sum to be paid him by the master or mistress of 
slaves, not exceeding the sum of three shillings per head for all such 
slaves as shall be whipped as aforesaid." [ Laws of New York 
(ed. 1752), p. 194.] 



PART VIII. 

miscellaneous laws and orders. 
Section 335. 

Marshal's Fees — Virginia, 1632. 

The Marshal's fees shall be : 

For an arrest, 10 lbs. tobacco. 

For warning to the court, 2 lbs. tobacco. 

Imprisonment — Coming in, 10 lbs. tobacco. 

Imprisonment — Going out, 10 lbs. tobacco. 

Laying by the heels, 5 lbs. tobacco. 

Whipping, 10 lbs. tobacco. 

Pillory, 10 lbs. tobacco. 

Ducking, 10 lbs. tobacco. 

The prisoner lying in prison, marshal's attendance per day, 5 lbs. tobacco. 
For every 5 lbs. of tobacco the marshal may require 1 bushel of corn. 

[Hening's Statutes, i. 176, 177.] 



Section 336. 

Words Concerning the King — Virginia, 1640. 

In Virginia, in 1640, Stephen Reekes was sentenced to be 
"put in pillory two hours, with a paper on his head expressing his 
offense, fined fifty pounds sterling, and imprisoned during pleasure, 
for saying that his majesty was at confession with the Lord of Can- 
terbury." [Minutes and Proceedings of the Governor and Coun- 
cil of Virginia; Hening's Statutes, i. 552.] 

(244) 



MISCELLANEOUS LAWS AND OKDERS. 245 

Section 337. 

Monopolies — Massachusetts, 1641. 

" It is ordered, decreed, and by this court declared, that there 
shall be no monopolies granted or allowed amongst us, but of such 
new inventions that are profitable to the country, and that for a 
short time." [Laws of Massachusetts (ed. 1672), p. 119.] 



Section 338. 

Governor's Supplies — Virginia, 1643. 

In 1643 the Grand Assembly of Virginia, in making provisions 
for the governor's accommodation, declared, " That there be levied 
for the said governor's accommodation, for this present year, 1643, 2 
shillings a head for every tithable person in the colony, to be paid 
in provisions as hereafter mentioned, at these rates, viz : 

" Indian corn, at 10 shillings per barrel — 2 barrels of ears to 1 
of corn ; 

"Wheat at 4 shillings per bushel; 

" Malt at 4 shillings per bushel ; 

" Beef at 3 J pence per pound ; 

" Pork at 4 pence per pound ; 

"Good hens at 12 pence; 

" Capons at 1 shilling and 6 pence ; 

"Calves at six weeks old, 25 shillings; 

"Butter at 8 pence per pound; 

" Good wether goats at 20 shillings ; 

"Pigs to roast, at three weeks old, at three shillings per pig; 

" Cheese at 6 pence per pound ; 

"Geese, turkeys and kids at 5 shillings apiece. " [Hening's 
Statutes, i. 281.] 



Section 339. 

Corn and Beans Used at Elections — Massachusetts, 1643. 
" It is ordered by this court and the authority thereof, that for 



246 MISCELLANEOUS LAWS AND ORDERS. 

the yearly choosing of assistants the freemen shall use Indian corn 
and beans, the Indian corn to manifest election, the beans contrary ; 
and if any freeman shall put in more than one Indian corn or bean, 
for the choice or refusal of any public officer, he shall forfeit for 
every such offense ten pounds, and that any man that is not free, 
or hath not liberty of voting, putting in any vote, shall forfeit the 
like sum of ten pounds." [Laws of Massachusetts (ed. of 1672), 
p. 47.] 

Lucian, a Greek writer who flourished about nine hundred and 
twenty years ago, refers to an Athenian law which provided for the 
use of black and white beans as a mode of balloting. 



Section 340. 

Taxes — Virginia, 1645. 

Whereas, the ancient and usual taxing of all people of this col- 
ony by the poll, equally, hath been found inconvenient and is be- 
come insupportable for the poorer sort to bear, this Assembly hav- 
ing taken it into consideration, have, for their relief hereafter, 
thought fit to alter the same, be it therefore enacted, that all public 
levies and county levies be raised by equal proportions out of the 
visible estates in the colony. The conformity of the proportions 
to be as followeth, viz : 

One hundred acres of land at 4 lbs. tobacco. 

One cow, three years old, at 4 lbs. tobacco. 

Horses, mares and geldings, apiece, at . . . . 32 lbs. tobacco. 

A breeding sheep at 4 lbs. tobacco. 

A breeding goat at 2 lbs. tobacco. 

A tithable person at 20 lbs. tobacco. 

[Hening's Statutes, i. 305, 306.] 



Section 341. 

Dutch and French Trade Prohibited — Rhode Island, 1647. 

" We do absolutely prohibit them [the Dutch and French], or 
any of them, to trade or barter with the Indians within our juris- 



MISCELLANEOUS LAWS AND OKDERS. 247 

diction, upon pain of forfeiture of ship and goods." [Acts and Or- 
ders for the Colony and Province of Rhode Island ; Rhode Island 
Colonial Record.] 



Section 342. 

Curious Order of the Assembly of Virginia — Virginia, 1654. 

Whereas, Col. Edward Hill, unanimously chosen speaker of 
this house, was afterwards maliciously reported by William Hatcher 
to be an atheist and blasphemer, according to an information ex- 
hibited against him the last quarter court, from which the honor- 
able governor and council then cleared the said Col. Edward Hill, 
and now certified the same unto the house ; and forasmuch as the 
said William Hatcher, notwithstanding he had notice given him of 
the governor and council's pleasure therein, and of the said Col. 
HilPs being cleared, as aforesaid, hath also reported, that the 
mouth of this house was a devil, nominating and meaning thereby 
the said right worshipful Col. Edward Hill; it is therefore or- 
dered by this house, that the said William Hatcher, upon his knees, 
make an humble acknowledgment of his offense unto the said Col. 
Edward Hill and burgesses of this Assembly, which accordingly 
was performed, and then he, the said Hatcher, dismissed, paying 
his fees. [Hening's Statutes, i. 387.] 



Section 343. 



Shooting of Guns Prohibited Except at Times of Funerals and Marriages— Vir- 
ginia, 1655. 

Whereas, it is much to be doubted that the common enemy, the 
Indians, if opportunity serve, would suddenly invade this colony, 
to a total subversion of the same ; and whereas, the only means for 
the discovery of their plots is by alarms, of which no certainty can 
be had in respect of the frequent shooting of guns in drinking, 
whereby they proclaim, and as it were, justify that beastly vice, 
spending much powder in vain that might be reserved against the 
common enemy ; be it therefore enacted, that what person or per- 



248 MISCELLANEOUS LAWS AND OKDERS. 

sons soever shall, after publication hereof, shoot any guns at drink- 
ing (marriages and funerals only excepted), that such person or 
persons so offending shall forfeit one hundred pounds of tobacco, 
to be levied by distress in case of refusal, and to be disposed of by 
the militia in ammunition towards a magazine for the county where 
the offense shall be committed. [Hening's Statutes, i. 401, 402.] 



Section 344. 

Spinning — Massachusetts, 1655. 

"This court, taking into serious consideration the present 
straits and necessities of the country in respect to clothing, which 
is not like to be so plentifully supplied from foreign parts as in 
times past, and not knowing any better way or means conducible 
to our subsistence than the improving of as many hands as may be 
in spinning wool, cotton, flax, etc., doth therefore order, and be it 
ordered by the authority of this court, that all hands not necessa- 
rily employed on other occasions, as women, girls and boys, shall 
and hereby are enjoined to spin according to their skill and ability, 
and that the selectmen in every town do consider the condition and 
capacity of every family, and accordingly do assess them at one or 
more spinners. And because several families are necessarily em- 
ployed the greatest part of their time in other business, yet if op- 
portunities were attended some time might be spared, at least by 
some of them, for this work, the said selectmen shall therefore 
assess such families at half and quarter spinners, according to their 
capacities. And every one thus, aforesaid, for a whole spinner shall, 
for time to come, spin every year for thirty weeks, three pounds a 
week of linen, cotton or woolen, and so proportionably for half 
and quarter spinners, under the penalty of twelve pence a pound 
short." [Laws of Massachusetts (ed. 1672), p. 141. 



Section 345. 

Men Pressed to Build a State House — Virginia, 1660. 
Ordered, that the honorable, the governor, have power to press 



MISCELLANEOUS LAWS AND OKDEES. 249 

ten men of the ordinary sort of people, allowing each man two 
thousand pounds of tobacco per annum for their services, and to 
employ them toward the building of a state house. [Hening's 
Statutes, ii. 13.] 

Section 346. 

Virginia, 1662. 

From an act for building a town : 

Whereas, his sacred majesty by his instructions hath enjoined 
us to build a town, to which though our own conveniences of 
profit and security might urge us, yet encouraged by his majesty's 
royal commands, to which in duty we are all bound to yield a most 
ready obedience, this Grand Assembly, taking into their serious 
consideration the best means of effecting it, have in reference 
thereto enacted : 

First. That a town be built at James City, as being the most 
convenient place in James river, and already best fitted for the en- 
tertainment of workmen that must be employed in work. 

That the town to be built shall consist of thirty-two houses, 
each house to be built with brick, forty foot long, twenty foot wide, 
within the walls, to be eighteen foot high above the ground, the 
walls to be two brick thick to the water table, and a brick and a 
half thick above the water table to the roof, the roof to be fifteen 
foot pitch, and to be covered with slate or tile. 

Secondly. That the houses shall be all regularly placed one by 
another, in a square or such other form as the honorable Sir Wil- 
liam Berkeley shall appoint most convenient. 

Thirdly. That for the better expediting this work, each of the 
several seventeen counties build one house, and to that purpose be 
authorized to impress in each of the said respective counties brick- 
layers, laborers, carpenters, sawyers, and other tradesmen neces- 
sary, to be ready at such time as the governor shall think fit. 

Fourthly. That for avoiding the exaction of workmen, the 
price of bricks, the wages of workmen and laborers and their diet 
at the ordinaries shall not exceed the prices following, viz : 

Bricks, being statute bricks and well burned, one hundred and 



250 MISCELLANEOUS LAWS AND OEDEKS. 

fifty pounds of tobacco per thousand ; laborers, beside diet, two 
thousand pounds of tobacco by the year. 

Brickmakers, having their diet and six able laborers to help 
them, provided at his or their charge that employ them, and wood 
sufficient brought in place for each thousand bricks moulded and 
burned, forty pounds of tobacco. 

Bricklayers, having their diet and three able laborers to attend 
each of them, for each thousand of bricks laid, forty pounds of 
tobacco. 

Carpenters per day, besides their diet, thirty pounds of tobacco. 

Sawyers for boards and summers, one pound of tobacco per 
foot ; for timber for joist, windows, door-cases and rafters, princi- 
pals, purloiners and other small timber, the said sawyers finding 
themselves and laborers' diet, half a pound per foot in length. 
[Hening's Statutes, ii. 172, 173.] 



Section 347. 

Pillories, etc., to be Erected at Each Court — Virginia, 1662. 

Whereas, many offenses are punishable by the laws of England 
and of this country with corporal punishments, for executing 
whereof no such provision hath been made as the said laws do 
require ; be it therefore enacted, that in every county the court 
cause to be set up a pillory, a pair of stocks and a whipping-post, 
near the court house, and ducking-stool in such a place as they 
shall think convenient, that such offenders as by the laws are to 
suffer by any of them may be punished according to their demer- 
its. And the courts not causing the said pillory and whipping- 
post, stocks and ducking-stool to be erected within six months 
after the date of this act, shall be fined five thousand pounds of 
tobacco to the use of the public. [Hening's Statutes, ii. 75.] 



Section 348. 

Punishment of a Member of the General Assembly — Maryland, 1666. 

On the 1st of May, 1666, a member was presented by the 



MISCELLANEOUS LAWS AND OKDEKS. 251 

lower to the upper house, charged with having disturbed the whole 
house by calling them papists, rogues, pitiful rogues, puppies, etc. 
By order of the upper house he was brought before it by the sher- 
iff; whereupon he said he remembered none of the words alleged, 
but that he was in drink. The upper house adjudged the answer 
altogether unsatisfactory, and that no person of full age should 
take advantage of drunkenness in such a case. It was therefore 
ordered, that he be tied to an apple-tree before the house of As- 
sembly, be there publicly whipped upon the bare back thirty-nine 
lashes, and be then brought into both houses of Assembly, and to 
ask their forgiveness." [School History of Maryland, p. 39.] 



Section 349. 

Punishment of Drunkenness — New Jersey, 1668. 

"Concerning that beastly vice drunkenness, it is hereby enacted, 
that if any person be found to be drunk he shall pay one shilling 
fine for the first time, two shillings for the second, and for the third 
time and for every time after, two shillings and six pence, and such 
as have nothing to pay shall suffer corporal punishment; and for 
those that are unruly and disturbers of the peace they shall be put 
in the stocks until they are sober, or during the pleasure of the 
officer in chief of the place where he is drunk." [Learning & 
ISpicer's Laws of New Jersey, 72.] 



Section 350. 



An Act for Preventing of Danger by the French Residing within this Province- 
Massachusetts, 1692. 

" There having been frequent complaints made to this court, 
that although several French protestants who lately fled from per- 
secution, came over sea into this province and were charitably en- 
tertained and succored here, yet since that, many of a contrary 
religion and interest have been brought hither, and others have ob- 
truded themselves, which (especially in this time of war between 
the two crowns of England and France) proves a grievous incon- 



/ 



252 MISCELLANEOUS LAWS AND OKDEKS. 

venience, and the public safety is endangered by suffering such a 
mixed company among us ; for remedy whereof it is enacted and 
ordained, by the governor, council and representatives convened in 
General Assembly, and by the authority of the same, that from and 
after the second day of January next ensuing none of the French 
nation be permitted to reside or be in any of the seaport or front- 
ier towns within this province but such as shall be licensed by the 
governor and council, nor shall any of the said nation open shop or 
exercise any manual trade in any of the towns of this province with- 
out the approbation of the selectmen first orderly obtained in writ- 
ing, under their hands, on pain of imprisonment. And any two 
justices of the peace (quorum unus), w 7 ithin their respective pre- 
cincts, are hereby empowered to commit to prison any person or 
persons legally convicted of offending against this act, upon the com- 
plaint of the selectmen in any town, or any two of them, and to re- 
main in prison until released by order of the governor and council." 
[Acts and Laws of Massachusetts (Baskett's ed. 1724), p. 36.] 



Section 351. 

Fences — Carolina, 1694. 

"All planters and others of the inhabitants of the province who 
do plant corn or other provisions, or any other thing which they 
would have secured from damage or damages of horses, neat cattle, 
or any other stock, shall make, have and keep a good, strong and 
sufficient fence, six feet high, about all sorts of provisions, and 
shall, from time to time, so maintain and keep the same." [Stat- 
utes of South Carolina, ii. 81.] 



Section 352. 

Enforcement of Law — Pennsylvania, 1701. 

The following views are contained in a letter which William 
Penn addressed to the justices of Newcastle in 1701 : 

" The laws I must desire you to see exactly put in execution, 
and suffer no delays of time, either in corporal or pecuniary pun- 



MISCELLANEOUS LAWS AND ORDERS. 253 

ishment by remitting them to me. The law is made against offend- 
ers, they know the conditions they trangress upon, and if they 
choose one they must not refuse the other, for mercy to the unde- 
serving is a public injustice, and I shall reckon all such who come 
to trouble me on those heads without your express recommenda- 
tions." [Pennsylvania Archives, i. 143.] 



Section 353. 

Pay of Jurors — Maryland, 1715. 

And be it also enacted, that it shall and may be lawful for the 
justices of the several and respective county courts of this prov- 
ince to allow unto the grand jurors that shall serve in the several 
and respective county courts any sum of tobacco, at the discretion 
of the said justices, not exceeding five hundred pounds for each 
court they shall serve, to be paid out of the several and respective 
county levies. 

And be it further enacted, that it shall and may be lawful for 
the justices of the provincial court to allow unto every petit juror 
summoned to serve in the same court, the sum of thirty pounds of 
tobacco for every day such juror shall attend in such service, to be 
paid them in the public levy, besides the sum of one hundred and 
twenty pounds of tobacco, to be allowed every full jury that shall 
pass their verdict in any cause, to be paid by the party for whom 
such verdict shall pass, and be allowed in the bill of cost as usual. 
[Maxcy's Laws of Maryland, i. 102.] 



Section 354. 

Attorneys' Fees — Maryland, 1715. 

And be it further enacted, by the authority, advice and consent 
aforesaid, that from and after the end of this present session of As- 
sembly, there shall be paid to any attorney or other person practic- 
ing the law in any of the county courts of this province, for bring- 
ing, prosecuting or defending any action of what nature or quality 
soever, to final judgment, agreement or other end thereof, the sum 



254 MISCELLANEOUS LAWS AND ORDERS. 

of one hundred pounds of tobacco, unless the principal debt and 
damage or balance of any debt and damages sued for and recovered 
do exceed the sum of two thousand pounds of tobacco or ten pounds 
sterling, that then the said attorney shall have two hundred pounds 
of tobacco and no more ; and to any attorney or other person prac- 
ticing the law in the provincial court, high court of chancery, com- 
missary's court, court of vice-admiralty, or for prosecuting or 
defending any appeals, writs of error or any other matter or thing 
whatsoever, before his excellency the governor and council, the sev- 
eral sums hereafter expressed and set down, that is to say, for pros- 
ecuting or defending any cause, plaint or action of what nature 
soever, in the provincial court, to final judgment, agreement or 
other end thereof, the sum of four hundred pounds of tobacco and 
no more; for any fee in the high court of chancery and court of 
vice-admiralty, six hundred pounds of tobacco and no more ; for any 
fee in the commissary's court, four hundred pounds of tobacco and 
no more; for any fee upon any writ of error or appeal which shall 
be before his excellency the governor and council, six hundred 
pounds of tobacco and no more ; and to his majesty's attorney-gen- 
eral for any action in the provincial court, at the suit of his majesty, 
indictment, presentment or information, the sum of four hundred 
pounds of tobacco and no more, any law, statute or custom to the 
contrary in anywise notwithstanding. 

And be it further enacted, by the authority, advice and consent 
aforesaid, that if any attorney or other person practicing the law in 
any of the aforesaid courts do presume to ask, receive, take or de- 
mand any greater or larger fee than before by this act appointed, 
and be thereof legally convicted, he shall be uncapable to practice 
the law in any court of this province for the future. [Maxcy's 
Laws of Maryland, i. pp. 130, 131.] 



Section 355. 

Voters Required to Appear at the Polls — Maryland, 1716. 

"All freeholders, freemen and other persons qualified to give 
votes in the election of delegates, shall and are hereby obliged to be 
and appear at the time and place appointed for elections to be here- 



MISCELLANEOUS LAWS AND ORDERS. 255 

after had or made of any delegates, burgesses and citizens to serve 
in any Assembly for this province, under the penalty of one hun- 
dred puunds of tobacco for every person so qualified as aforesaid 
neglecting to appear, one half thereof to the right honorable the 
lord proprietary, his heirs and successors, for and toward the county 
charge, and the other half to the informer that shall complain to 
any one or more justices or magistrates of such absence ; which jus- 
tice or justices or* other magistrates are hereby empowered to de- 
termine such complaint and award execution for the said penalty, 
unless such person or persons shall, at the next county court after 
such election, show sufficient cause for his or their absence, to be 
allowed and approved of by the justices of the several county courts 
in this province." [Maxcy's Laws of Maryland, i. 137.] 



Section 356. 

Qualifications of Voters — Carolina, 1717. 

" Every white man (and no other) professing the Christian re- 
ligion, who has attained to the age of one and twenty years, and 
hath been a resident and inhabitant of the parish for which he 
votes for a representative for the space of six months before the 
date of the writs for the election that he offers to give in his vote 
at, and hath a freehold of at least fifty acres of land, or shall be 
liable to pay taxes to the support of this government for the sum 
of fifty pounds current money, shall be deemed a person qualified 
to vote for, and may be capable of electing a representative or rep- 
resentatives to serve as a member or members of the commons 
house of Assembly for the parish or precinct wherein he actually is 
a resident." [Statutes of South Carolina, iii. 3.] 



Section 357. 

"Grandeur and Authority" of Courts — Maryland, 1719. 

Whereas, it is obvious to this present session of Assembly that 
there is an absolute necessity of a law for the better preserving 



256 MISCELLANEOUS LAWS AND ORDERS. 

the honor, dignity and authority of his lordship, in the persons of 
his magistrates in the administration of justice, from the insults, 
affronts and indecent demeanor before them of the practitioners 
of the law and other officers and persons, that have hitherto been 
so frequent in all the courts of this province as well as out of court, 
be it therefore enacted, by the right honorable, the lord proprietor, 
by and with the advice and consent of his lordship's governor, and 
the upper and lower houses of Assembly, and by the authority of 
the same, that the several magistrates, judges of the several courts 
within this province, be and are hereby authorized and strictly re- 
quired to observe the demeanor of all practitioners of the law 
before them, as well as all ministerial officers or other persons who 
shall use any indecent liberties to the lessening the grandeur and 
authority of their respective courts, and to discountenance and pun- 
ish the same, according to the nature of the offense, either by sus- 
pending such practitioner of the law from their practice perpetually 
or for a time, or to punish such practitioners or ministerial officers 
or other persons by fine, at the discretion of such court before 
whom such offense shall be committed, not exceeding four thou- 
sand pounds of tobacco in the superior courts, nor two. thousand 
pounds of tobacco in the several county courts within this prov- 
ince, on each offender for any one offense. 

And, likewise, all and every the several magistrates, in the exe- 
cution of their office out of court, are hereby required, in like 
manner, to observe the carriage and demeanor of all persons what- 
soever that shall come before them, and if any person or persons 
shall behave themselves indecently towards any of them (or con- 
temn their authority when lawfully required to assist them) in the 
execution of their office, or otherwise, it shall and may be lawful 
for any of the several courts within this province, upon informa- 
tion to them made by any such magistrate or magistrates, against 
any person or persons who have so misbehaved themselves or con- 
temned their authority, without any formality in law, to call such 
offender or offenders before them and punish them by fine, impris- 
onment or by setting in the' stocks, at discretion, the fine not to 
exceed one thousand pounds of tobacco each offender, the impris- 
onment not to exceed two days, nor the setting in the stocks above 
two hours, for any one offense, all which fines to be levied by way 



MISCELLANEOUS LAWS AND ORDERS. 257 

of execution, and by such court applied towards the maintaining a 
public school in the county where such offense is committed. 
[Maxcy's Laws of Maryland, i. 146.] 



Section 358. 

Rate of Taxation on Lands and Slaves — South Carolina, 1725. 

" Be it further enacted and declared by the authority aforesaid, 
that every hundred acres of land be and is hereby rated at five 
shillings per hundred acres, and every slave of what age soever, at 
twenty shillings per head." [Statutes of South Carolina, iii. 258.] 

1736. "It is hereby enacted and declared, that the sum of 
seventeen shillings and six pence, current money, per head, be 
imposed and levied on all male white persons, from the age of 
twenty-one to sixty years (except the new-comers settled in his 
majesty's townships, who are hereby exempted); and the sum of 
twelve shillings and six pence, current money, per head on all ne- 
groes and other slaves whatsoever and wheresoever within the lim- 
its of this province; and the sum of seven shillings and six pence, 
current money, per hundred acres, on all lands throughout the said 
province (town lots without the limits of Charleston excepted)." 
[Statutes of South Carolina, iii. 438, 439.] 



Section 359. 

Crows and Squirrels— Maryland, 1728. 

Be it enacted by the right honorable the lord proprietary, by 
and with the advice and consent of his lordship's governor and the 
upper and lower houses of Assembly, and the authority of the 
same, that from and after the commencement of this act every 
master, mistress, owner of a family, or single taxable, in the sev- 
eral and respective counties within this province, shall be and are 
by this act obliged yearly (at some time before the laying their 
county levies), to produce to some one of the justices of their 
17 



258 



MISCELLANEOUS LAWS AND OEDEKS. 



county three squirrel scalps or crows' heads for every taxable per- 
son they shall pay levy for that year, and the justices of the peace 
before whom such squirrels' scalps or crows' heads shall be brought 
shall be and is hereby obliged to destroy such squirrels' scalps and 
crows' heads as shall be so produced to him, to prevent their being 
produced a second time, and give such person a certificate, under 
his hand, certifying the number of squirrels' scalps and crows' 
heads such persons brought before him, which certificate the person 
obtaining the same shall lay before the justices of their county at 
the time of the laying their county levy ; and the justices shall 
then cause a list of the taxables of their county to be laid before 
them, in order from thence to compare the number of taxables 
each person pays in the county with the certificates produced, that 
thereby it may be found what persons have complied with this act 
and who have failed therein. 

And be it further enacted, by the authority, advice and consent 
aforesaid, that every person that shall fall short of producing a cer- 
tificate of squirrels' scalps or crows' heads, in proportion to their 
taxables, according to the directions of this act, the justices of the 
several and respective county courts within this province, at the time 
of laying the county levy, are hereby empowered and required, for 
each squirrel scalp or crows' head such person shall fall short, in 
manner aforesaid, to levy upon such person the sum of two pounds 
of tobacco, to be upon execution, and collected by the sheriff of 
the county in the same manner as the public and county levies are, 
to be applied towards defraying the county charge. 

And be it further enacted, by the authority, advice and consent 
aforesaid, that every person that shall bring to any justice of the 
peace within this province the heads or scalps of any more squir- 
rels or crows than the three for each taxable by this act required, 
shall, for every such head or scalp, be allowed in the county levy 
where such squirrel or crow was killed, the sum of two pounds of 
tobacco; and the justice of the peace before whom such heads or 
scalps shall be brought is hereby required to give the person bring- 
ing the same a certificate thereof, and cause the said heads and 
scalps to be burned or otherwise destroyed: provided always, that 
no person whatsoever shall be entitled to any allowance for any 
squirrels' or crows' heads or scalps without first making oath (or 



MISCELLANEOUS LAWS AND ORDEKS. 259 

affirmation if a Quaker) or otherwise make appear that such squir- 
rels or crows were killed after the commencement of this act and 
in the county where the allowance is prayed. [Maxcy's Laws of 
Maryland, i. 186, 187.] 



Section 360. 

Oath of an Attorney — Virginia, 1732. 

You shall do no falsehood, nor consent to any to be done in the 
court, and if you know of any to be done you shall give notice 
thereof to the justices of the court, that it may be reformed ; you 
shall delay no man for lucre or malice, nor take any unreasonable 
fees; you shall not wittingly or willingly sue or procure to be sued 
any false suit, nor give aid nor consent to the same upon pain of 
being disabled to practice as an attorney forever. And further- 
more, you shall use yourself in the office of an attorney within the 
court according to your learning and discretion. So help you God. 
[Hening's Statutes, iv. 361.] 



Section 361. 

Certain Tradesmen not Allowed to Keep Taverns, etc. — South Carolina, 1741. 

" Nothing in this act shall extend or be construed to extend to 
give or grant any power or authority to the said justices [or others] 
to grant any license to any person or persons who hath or have 
been bred to or have heretofore used the trade of a carpenter, 
joiner, bricklayer, plasterer, shipwright, wheelwright, smith, 
shoemaker, tailor, tanner, cabinet-maker or cooper, and shall at 
the time of his or their application for such order be able and 
capable, by his or their honest labor and industry, of getting a 
livelihood and maintaining him or themselves and families by fol- 
lowing, using and exercising the trade or trades aforesaid, to 
which he or they was bred, it being the true intent and meaning 
of this act that no such able tradesman shall, from and after the 
passing of this act, keep any common tavern, punch house, tip- 
pling house or billiard table, or commonly sell wine, cider, beer, 






260 MISCELLANEOUS LAWS AND OBDERS. 

brandy, rum, punch, strong drink or other spirituous liquors what- 
soever to be spent or consumed in their respective houses." [Stat- 
utes of South Carolina, iii. 583.] 



Section 362. 

Beasts of Prey — South Carolina, 1744. 

"All and every person and persons whoever that shall hereafter 
kill in this province, within one hundred and fifty miles of Charles- 
ton, or within the Welch tract upon Pedee, any of the beasts of 
prey hereinafter mentioned, shall have the following rewards, that 
is to say: for a tiger, eight shillings; for a wolf, six shillings ; for 
a bear, four shillings; for a wild cat, four shillings, proclamation 
money." [Statutes South Carolina, iii. 633.] 



Section 363. 

Hunters — North Carolina, 1745. 

"And forasmuch as there are great numbers of idle and disor- 
derly persons who have no settled habitation nor visible method of 
supporting themselves by industry or honest calling, many of whom 
come in from neighboring colonies without proper passes, and kill 
deer at all seasons of the year, and often leave the carcasses in the 
woods, and also steal and destroy cattle, and carry away horses, and 
commit other enormities, to the great prejudice of the inhabitants 
of this province ; be it therefore enacted by the authority aforesaid, 
that every person who shall hunt and kill deer in the king's waste 
within this province, and who is not possessed of a settled habita- 
tion in the same, shall be obliged to produce a certificate, when 
required, of his having planted and tended five thousand corn-hills, 
at five feet distance each hill, the preceding year or season, in the 
county where he shall hunt, under the hands of at least two justices 
of the peace of the said county, and the hand of at least one of the 
church wardens of the parish where such person planted and 
tended such corn, as aforesaid. 



MISCELLANEOUS LAWS AND ORDERS. 261 

"And be it further enacted, that if any such person as aforesaid 
is found hunting and does not produce such certificate, as afore- 
said, when required, he shall forfeit his gun and five pounds procla- 
mation money for every such offense." [Martin's Laws of North 
Carolina, i. 69.] 

Section 364. 

Bread — South Carolina, 1749. 

The preamble to "An act for regulating the assize of bread " 
says: 

" Whereas, no act of Assembly of this province hath hitherto 
been made and provided for regulating the price and assize of 
bread, whereby little or no observance hath been made, either of 
the due assize or reasonable price of bread made for sale within 
the same, and covetous and evil disposed persons, taking advantage 
thereof, have, for their own gain and lucre, deceived and oppressed 
his majesty's subjects, and more especially the poorer sort of peo- 
ple." [Statutes of South Carolina, iii. 715.] 



Section 365. 

Deerskin Breeches for Soldiers — New Jersey, 1755. 

"And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that the 
commissioners, or any two of them, or any one of them, by the 
consent of one other, out of the money made current by the act 
aforesaid, shall purchase for each of the said five hundred men to 
be raised as aforesaid, one pair of deerskin breeches, which said 
breeches are allowed to each soldier in lieu of the two pair of 
osnabrigs trowsers ordered to be given to each soldier by the afore- 
said act." [NevilPs Code of New Jersey, ii. p. 50.] 



Section 366. 

Killing Deer, etc. — South Carolina, 1769. 
The preamble to ( 'An act for the preservation of deer, and to 



262 MISCELLANEOUS LAWS AND ORDERS. 

prevent the mischief arising from hunting at unseasonable times" 
contains the following passages : 

" Whereas, many idle, loose and disorderly persons, as well 
residents as non-residents in this province, have made and do make 
a constant practice of wandering up and down the same, and of 
killing the deer merely for the sake of the skins, leaving the flesh 
to rot, whereby wolves and other beasts of prey are brought among 
the stocks of cattle, hogs and sheep, to the great annoyance and 
damage of the owners thereof; and whereas, the dangerous prac- 
tice of hunting and killing deer in the night time by carrying of 
lighted torches through the woods is now become very common, by 
means whereof several persons have been killed, and great num- 
bers of all sorts of cattle are frequently destroyed, to the manifest 
injury of the owners of the same ; for remedy thereof," etc. [Stat- 
utes of South Carolina, iv. 310.] 



Section 367. 

South Carolina, 1770. 

Preamble to a An act to encourage the making of flax, linens 
and thread in this province ": 

" Whereas, the inhabitants of the interior parts of this province 
have become of late very numerous, and as nothing can contribute 
more to the strength and riches of a country and a due subordina- 
tion to government than giving encouragement to all settlers to cul- 
tivate various valuable and useful commodities, we therefore," etc. 
[Statutes of South Carolina, iv. 315.] 

The premiums offered by the act for flax, etc., produced in South 
Carolina, were " for every hundred weight of well dressed, mer- 
chantable flax, reckoning five score to the hundred weight, twelve 
shillings proclamation money ; for all good and merchantable linens 
and thread, a bounty after the rate of thirty pounds for every hun- 
dred pounds of the true and real value of the said linens and thread." 
[Statutes of South Carolina.] 



MISCELLANEOUS LAWS AND OKDEKS. 263 

Section 368. 

Prisoners for Debt not Worth Forty Shillings Liberated — North Carolina, 1773. 

If he, she or they have no visible estate, real or personal, and 
shall make oath before the said justices of the peace, or judges of 
the inferior court, or judge of the superior court respectively, issu- 
ing such warrant that he hath not the worth of forty shillings ster- 
ling money, in any worldly substance, either in debts owing to him 
or otherwise howsoever, over and besides his wearing apparel, work- 
ing tools and arms for muster; and that he has not at any time 
since his imprisonment, or before, directly or indirectly sold, as- 
signed or otherwise disposed of or made over in trust for himself 
or otherwise, any part of his real or personal estate whereby to 
have or expect any benefit or profit to himself or to defraud any of 
his creditors to whom he is indebted ; and if there be no person 
present that can prove the contrary, then such person, by such court 
or justices without form of trial, shall be immediately set at liberty 
and shall stand forever discharged of all such debts so sued for and 
all costs of suit; but in case such person shall afterwards be discov- 
ered to have sworn falsely, he shall be indicted for perjury, and if 
convicted, shall lose both his ears in the pillory and be liable to 
satisfy the debt and damages and be rendered incapable of taking 
the benefit of this act. [Martin's Laws of North Carolina, i. 183.] 



Section 369. 

Provoking Language — Virginia, 1677. 

And forasmuch as divers persons do frequently, notwithstand- 
ing the late act of Assembly requiring the contrary, renew the 
breaches, quarrels and heart-burning amongst us in use by names 
and terms of distinction, viz : traitors, rebel, rogue, rebel, or such 
like, by which means it will be impossible ever to unite this colony 
to its former estate of love and friendship, though wished for and 
desired by all good. people; be it enacted by this present Grand 
Assembly, and the authority thereof, and it is hereby enacted, that 
whosoever shall presume to use any such gravations or terms of 
distinction aforesaid, and shall be thereof lawfully convicted, shall, 



264 MISCELLANEOUS LAWS AND ORDERS. 

for every such offense, forfeit and pay four hundred pounds of 
tobacco to the use of the parish where such offense shall be com- 
mitted. And whereas, on the other side, divers insolent persons, 
who have been deeply concerned in the late rebellion, will and do, 
notwithstanding their guilt, presuming upon the gracious pardon 
granted by his majesty, with unseemly, offensive language, urge and 
provoke those who have been loyal and great sufferers in those late 
unhappy times to utter in their passion such words as otherwise 
they would not do, both which being highly injurions and preju- 
dicial not only to his majesty's peace, but also to the desired unity 
of this colony ; be it therefore enacted by this present Grand As- 
sembly, and the authority thereof, and it is hereby enacted, that 
whosoever shall, at any time utter such provoking language to any 
loyal person whatsoever as shall by the court where the same shall 
be complained of be adjudged a sufficient provocation for retorting 
bad language, such person using such provocations be also fined 
and pay four hundred pounds of tobacco and cask, to be disposed 
of by the vestry to the use of the parish where such offense shall 
be committed. [Hening's Statutes, ii. 409.] 



Section 370. 

Order of General Court — Virginia, 1677. 

Information being made to this court that Thomas Gordon and 
John Bagwell, two persons adjudged by act of Assembly for their 
rebellion and treason to appear at the county court at Rappahan- 
nock with halters about their necks, and, upon their knees, to ac- 
knowledge their said treasons and rebellions against the king's 
majesty, did, in contempt of the said law and the king's majesty's 
authority in this his colony, appear in the said court with small 
tape (instead of halters) about their necks, which was allowed and 
accepted of by the magistrates then sitting, not only contrary to, 
but in contempt of the good laws and his majesty's authority here; 
it is therefore ordered by this court that Robert Beverley, clerk of 
the Assembly, do make present inquiry into the truth of such in- 
formation, and as he shall find the same, he is hereby ordered, 
commanded and empowered to summons all parties so offending, 



MISCELLANEOUS LAWS AND OKDEES. 265 

whether magistrates or others, and also such evidences to prove 
the matter as he shall find needful to the next Assembly, to answer 
such high contempt before the right honorable, the governor and 
council, and house of burgesses, to them such contemners, despisers 
and slighters of the laws, upon due conviction, may receive con- 
dign punishment of their fault. [Hening's Statutes, ii. 557.] 



Section 371. 

Order of General Court — Virginia, 1677. 

Whereas, Charles Blanckevile being brought before this court 
for being active in the late rebellion, who, petitioning for the lib- 
erty of his majesty's most gracious proclamation of pardon ; but, 
in regard the said Blanckevile hath lately been very active in stir- 
ring up the people to mutiny, by speaking divers mutinous words 
in the county of Elizabeth City, the court have therefore thought 
fit, and do order that the said Blanckevile, in time of the next 
county court of Elizabeth City, upon his knees, with a rope about 
his neck, ask pardon for his rebellion and treason, according to 
submission, and pay costs. [Hening's Statutes, ii. 554.] 



Section 372. 

Order of General Court — Virginia, 1677. 

Whereas, William Potts, being enjoined to perform the law for 
his rebellion and treason, and he not performing the same, but in- 
stead of a halter about his neck he wore a Manchester binding, it 
is ordered that the said sheriff see the said Potts perform the law, 
with a halter about his neck, next county court at Rappahannock; 
and, that Potts pay all those persons* charges who were summoned 
before the governor and council concerning said Potts, according 
to act. [Hening's Statutes, ii. 558.] 



Section 373. 

Penalty on Freeholders Failing to Vote — Virginia, 1769. 
"And be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, that after 



266 MISCELLANEOUS LAWS AND OEDERS. 

publication of such writs, and at the day and place of election, every 
freeholder actually resident within his county shall personally ap- 
pear and give his vote, upon penalty of forfeiting two hundred 
pounds of tobacco to any person or persons who will inform or sue 
for the same, recoverable, with costs, by action of debt or informa- 
tion in any county court of this dominion." [Hening's Statutes, 
viii. 308.] 



Section 374. 

Convicts Excluded from Virginia by Order of the General Court — 1670. 

"April 20th, 1670. The complaints of several of the council 
and others, gentlemen inhabitants of the counties of York, Glos- 
ter and Middlesex, representing their apprehensions and fears lest 
the honor of his majesty and the peace of this colony be too much 
hazarded and endangered by the great numbers of felons and other 
desperate villains sent hither from the several prisons in England, 
being this day read in council, we have, upon most serious and 
careful consideration of the same, thought fit to order, and do 
hereby accordingly order, that, for prevention and avoiding the 
danger which apparently threatens us from the barbarous designs 
and felonious practices of such wicked villains, that it shall not be 
permitted to any person trading hither to bring in and land any 
jail birds or such others, who, for notorious offenses, have deserved 
to die in England, from and after the 20th day of January next, 
upon pain of being forced to keep them on board and carry them 
to some other country, where they may be better secured. And 
we have been the more induced to make this order by the horror 
yet remaining amongst us of the barbarous designs of those villains 
in September, 1663, who attempted at once the subversion of our 
religion, laws, liberties, rights and properties, the sad effect of 
which desperate conspiracy we had undoubtedly felt, had not God, 
of his infinite mercy, prevented it by a timely and wonderful dis- 
covery of the same ; nor hath it been a small motive to us to hin- 
der and prohibit the importation of such dangerous and scandalous 
people, since thereby we apparently lose our reputation, whilst we 
are believed to be a place only fit to receive such base and lewd 



MISCELLANEOUS LAWS AND OKDERS. 267 

persons. It is therefore resolved, that this order remain in force 
until his majesty shall signify his pleasure to the contrary, or that 
it be reversed by an order from his most honorable privy council, 
and that it be forthwith published, that all persons concerned 
therein may take notice of it accordingly. (Book in office general 
court, labeled < Deeds and Wills from 1670 to 1677, No. 2, p. 6.')" 
[Hening's Statutes, ii. p. 509.] 



Section 375. 

Charge to a Grand Jury — Virginia, 1745. 

" Williamsburgh, VIRGINIA, April 25, 1745. 

"Thursday last, being the fourth day of the general court, his 
honor the governor [William Gooch] was pleased to deliver the 
following charge to the gentlemen of the grand jury, which they 
afterwards requested his honor to permit to be published : 

" Gentlemen of the Grand Jury : Without taking notice of the 
ordinary matters and things you are called upon to attend and 
sworn to make inquisition for, I must on this occasion turn to your 
thoughts and recommend to your present service another subject of 
importance, which, I thank God, has been unusual, but I hope 
will be most effectual — I mean the information I have received of 
certain false teachers that have lately crept into this government, 
who, without order or license, or producing any testimonial of their 
education or sect, professing themselves ministers under the pre- 
tended influence of new light, extraordinary impulse, and such 
like satyrical and enthusiastical knowledge, lead the innocent and 
ignorant people into all kinds of delusion ; and in this frantic and 
profane disguise, though such is their heterodoxy that they treat all 
other modes of worship with contempt, yet as if they had bound 
themselves on oath to do many things against the religion of the 
blessed Jesus, that pillar and stay of the truth and reformed church, 
to the great dishonor of Almighty God, and the discomfort of seri- 
ous Christians, they endeavor to make their followers believe that 
salvation is not to be obtained [but (?)] in their communion. 

"As this denunciation, if I am rightly advised, in words not de- 
cent to repeat, has been by one of them publicly affirmed and shows 



268 MISCELLANEOUS LAWS AND OKDEKS. 

what manner of spirit they all of them are of in a country hitherto 
remarkable for uniformity of worship, and where the saving truths 
of the gospel are constantly inculcated, I did promise myself either 
that their preaching would be in vain or that an insolence so crim- 
inal would not long be connived at. 

"And therefore, gentlemen, since the workers of a deceitful 
work, blaspheming our sacraments and reviling our excellent lit- 
urgy, are said to draw disciples after them, and we know not where- 
unto this separation may grow, but may easily foretell into what a 
distracted condition, by long forbearance, this colony will be re- 
duced, we are called upon by the rights of society and what, I am 
persuaded, will be with you as prevailing an inducement, by the 
principles of Christianity, to put an immediate stop to the devices 
and intrigues of these associated scismatics, who having, no doubt, 
assumed to themselves the apostasy of our weak brethren, we may 
be assured that there is not anything so absurd but what they will 
assert, nor any doctrines or precepts so sacred but what they will 
pervert and accommodate to their favorite theme, railing against our 
religious establishment, for which in any other country, the British 
dominions only excepted, they would be very severely handled. 
* * * They are entirely without excuse, and their religious 
professions are very justly suspected to be the result of Jesuitical 
policy, which also is an iniquity to be punished by the judges. 

" I must, as in duty bound to God and man, charge you in the 
most solemn manner, to make strict inquiry after those seducers, 
and if they or any of them are still in this government, by pre- 
sentment or indictment to report them to the court, that we who 
are in authority under the defender of our faith and the appointed 
guardians to our constitution and state, exercising our power in this 
respect for the protection of the people committed to our care, may 
show our zeal in the maintenance of the true religion, not as the 
manner of some is, by violent oppression, but in putting to silence 
by such methods as our law directs, the calumnies and invectives 
of these bold accusers, and in dispelling, as we are devoutly dis- 
posed, so dreadful and dangerous a combination. 

" In short, gentlemen, we should deviate from the pious path 
we profess to tread in and should be unjust to God, to our king, to 
our country, to ourselves and to posterity, not to take cognizance 



MISCELLANEOUS LAWS AND OKDERS. 269 

of so great a wickedness whereby the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ 
is turned into lasciviousness." [Bark's History of Virginia, iii.l 19.] 
Memorandum. — Burk, in his History of Virginia, says that 
about this time, "It appears that swarms of Methodists, Moravians 
and New Light Presbyterians, presuming on the humane and toler- 
ant spirit of the times, had spread themselves over the country and 
were attempting to propagate their doctrines with all the ardor and 
vehemence of gesture and boldness of denunciation which mark the 
first moments of a new sect in religion." [lb. iii. 119.] 



Section 376. 

Extracts from Presentments of a Grand Jury at Charleston — South Carolina, 1765. 

"We present as a grievance, the hardship of calling constables 
from the back settlements of this province to tend upon courts in 
Charleston." 

" We present the great neglect of the militia law, the people 
in the country not mustering often. We also complain of the 
neglect of not carrying arms to church and other places of worship, 
and against the bad custom of delivering their arms to negroes or 
other slaves to keep while they are at divine service." 

" We present it as a grievance, the too frequent abuse of the 
law relative to the keeping a proper number of white men on plan- 
tations, according to the number of blacks." [Statutes of South 
Carolina, ii. 755.] 



PAET IX. 
CHEONOLOGICAL RECORDS 

OF THE ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF 

European Colonies in North America. 

1492 TO 1848. 



1492. Christopher Columbus discovered the islands of San 
Salvador, Hayti and Cuba. Some of the German historians claim 
that Columbus was indebted to Martin Behaim, or Beherira, a na- 
tive of Nuremberg, for his first thoughts of the continent of Amer- 
ica. The Edinburgh Encyclopedia, under the title of "America," 
says : " We have no reason to believe that Columbus had any 
knowledge of the discoveries of the Northmen or of the claims 
of the Welsh." 

1494. John Cabot and his son Sebastian, Venetians, on the 
24th of June, 1494, discovered the island of Newfoundland, to 
which they gave the name of Prima Vista. Some doubt rests on 
the date of this voyage, which, according to some authorities, was 
made by the Cabots before the date of the first commission granted 
to them by Henry VII. [See The Progress of America, by John 
Macgregor (London ed. 1847), vol. i. 155.] 

1496. March 5, Henry VII. of England granted to John Cabot 

(271) 



272 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

and his sons a commission to navigate with five ships, at their own 
expense, all parts of the ocean for the purpose of discovering isl- 
ands and countries unknown to Christian people before that time, 
and to take possession of the same " as vassals of the crown of 
England." 

1497. In 1497 the Cabots discovered the eastern coast of Lab- 
rador. John Cabot died in 1497. [Macgregor's America, i. 158.] 

1498. Sebastian Cabot, under a new patent from Henry VII., 
sailed from England to discover a northwest passage to India. He 
reached the southern part of the coast of Labrador and then ex- 
plored the coast of North America southwardly to about the 38th 
degree of north latitude. " There is great obscurity as to the ex- 
act date of the voyages of Cabot, for he either kept no jour- 
nal, which is not probable, or his journal has not been found. " 
[Macgregor's Progress of America, i. 159.] On the discoveries of 
the Cabots the crown of England set up a claim to that part of 
America extending along the Atlantic coast from 25° to 68° north- 
ern latitude, and throughout the land as far as the Pacific Ocean. 

1498. Columbus, on his third voyage, discovered the island of 
Trinidad, the river Orinoco and the mainland of America. 

1499. Amerigo Vespucci, in company with Alonzo Ojeda, for- 
merly one of the companions of Columbus, visited the coast of 
South America. 

1500. Gaspar Corte Real, a Portuguese navigator, explores 
the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Labrador as far as Hudson's Bay (?). 

1500. The coast of Brazil accidentally discovered by Don Pe- 
dro Alvarez de Cabral, a Portuguese navigator. 

1508. Thomas Aubert, commander of a French ship, discov- 
ered the river which was afterwards called the St. Lawrence. 

1510. Alonzo Ojeda made some attempts to establish Spanish 
settlements about the Gulf of Darien. 

1512. Florida discovered by Juan Ponce de Leon, a Spaniard, 
who went on shore at a point a few miles north of the site of St. 
Augustine, and sometime afterward made an unsuccessful attempt 
to plant a colony in Florida. 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 273 

1513. Vasco Nunez de Balboa passed over the Isthmus of 
Darien and discovered the Pacific Ocean, which he called the South 
:Sea. In the Spanish account of this discovery it is said that " with 
unspeakable joy he went down, and coming to the shore, walked 
into the sea, to take possession of it for the king of Spain." 

1515. The Rio de la Plata discovered by Juan Diaz de Solis. 

1517. Bartholomew de Las Casas left Cuba and went to Spain 
to advocate the cause of the conquered and miserable natives of 
the island. 

1517. Yucatan discovered by Hernandez de Cordova. 

1519. Francis de Garay explored a part of the coast of the 
Gulf of Mexico, and probably discovered one or all of the outlets 
of the Mississippi river. 

1519. Cortez landed, with an army, in Mexico, and completed 
the conquest of the country in 1521. 

1520. Terre del Fuego discovered by Fernando Magelhaens 
or Magellan. 

1524. Verrazzani, a Florentine navigator, holding a commis- 
sion from Francis I. of France, sailed along the eastern coast of 
America, from latitude twenty-eight degrees north to latitude fifty- 
degrees north. He called the country New France. 

1528. Bay of Pensacola discovered. 

1528. In 1528 Pamphilo de Narvaez, a Spaniard who had 
received the appointment of governor of Florida, sailed from Cuba 
with a force consisting of about three hundred men, forty of whom 
were mounted, and landed at a point in the vicinity of what is now 
oalled Tampa Bay. On the 1st of May, Narvaez set out on an 
expedition, the main object of which was to discover gold and sil- 
ver mines. After making long and unsuccessful marches through 
swamps and forests, and suffering from sickness, hunger and the 
hostility of the Indians who inhabited the country, Narvaez, with 
about two hundred and fifty followers, found their way to a place 
on the Gulf of Mexico now known as the harbor of St. Marks. 
After building five small boats, the men embarked and sailed 
18 



274 CHKONOLOGICAL KECOKDS. 

along the coast westwardly. On the 30th of October, 1528, the 
party in one of the boats in advance discovered one of the mouths 
of the Mississippi. (?) An unsuccessful attempt was made to as- 
cend that river. Afterwards the boats were separated ; and, early 
in November, two of the boats were wrecked at points in the vicin- 
ity of Galveston islands. The fate of the other boats has not been 
recorded with any degree of certainty. It was reported that the 
boat in which Narvaez embarked was driven out to sea and lost. 
The men whose boats were wrecked near Galveston island were 
treated with kindness by the Indians, who gave them food and 
shelter. Four of these men, Cabeza de Yaca, Andres Dorantes, 
Alonzo de Castillo and Estevanico, a blackamoor, after escaping 
many perils, arrived at the Spanish village of San Miguel, in So- 
nora, near the Pacific coast, where they were kindly received, in 
May, 1536. [See Bancroft, i. 40; Kerr's Voyages, v. 425; Daw- 
son's Historical Magazine (vol. ii. second series), p. 141, etc.] 

1534. Jacques Cartier, who was commissioned by the French 
government to make discoveries and settlements in America, en- 
tered the gulf to which he gave the name of St. Lawrence. In his 
second voyage, in 1535, he explored the river St. Lawrence as far 
as an island that the Indians called Hochelaga, to which he gave 
the name of Montreal. 

1534. California discovered by Hernando de Grijalva. 

1539. May 30, Ferdinand de Soto landed in Florida at what 
is called Tampa bay. The force under his command consisted of 
about nine hundred infantry and three hundred and fifty cavalry. 
In the summer of 1539, De Soto, with the hope of finding mines 
of gold and silver, set out on an exploring expedition. After 
making many long and disastrous marches among various tribes of 
hostile Indians, he died, in 1542, on the western side of the Mis- 
sissippi river, at a point near the mouth of the Red river. His dis- 
appointed and disheartened followers, reduced in numbers to about 
315 men, built small vessels, passed down the Mississippi into the 
Gulf of Mexico, and found their way to the Spanish port of Pa- 
nuco, near the Mexican coast. It has been estimated that, in a 
period of about four years, the forces under the command of De 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 275 

Soto marched at least five thousand miles. He discovered the 
Mississippi in 1541. 

1540. Colorado river partly explored by Pedro de Alarcon 
"for a distance of four degrees. " [Bancroft, i. 40, #.] 

1541. In 1541 Francisco Vasquez de Coronado led an expedi- 
tion from Mexico, and explored the country, searching for gold and- 
silver, as far as the 40th degree of north latitude. On the banks 
of a river, supposed to be one of the tributaries of the Mississippi, 
Coronado raised a cross to commemorate his expedition. It is 
probable that he "examined the country north of Sonora from 
Kansas, on the one side, to the chasm of the Colorado on the 
other." The region was afterwards called New Mexico. [Ban- 
croft i. 41.] 

1542. Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, a Portuguese navigator, in the 
service of Spain, sailed along the coast of California, visited some 
islands inhabited by Indians in the vicinity of the coast, and also 
visited a large Indian settlement on the mainland. This settlement 
stood at or near the present site of Santa Barbara. [Report of 
Chief of Engineers (1876), part 3, p. 533.] 

1562. Jean de Ribaut made an attempt to found a settlement 
of Huguenots or French Protestants in Florida. 

1565. St. Augustine, Florida, founded by settlement of Span- \ 
iards. Pedro Menendez de Aviles, after laying the foundation of j 
a settlement at St. Augustine, attacked and destroyed about two 
hundred French Protestants who had established a colony on the 
St. John's river. The prisoners taken by Menendez were hung 
upon trees, with placards, each bearing an inscription, the meaning 
of which was : " These wretches have been executed, not as French- 
men, but as Lutherans or heretics." About two years afterwards, 
De Gourgues, a French officer, with a considerable force under his 
command, captured two small Spanish forts in Florida, and hung 
the prisoners on trees, on the trunks of which he caused to be 
carved words which meant that the prisoners were " Hung, not as 
Spaniards, but as assassins or murderers." 

1578. Francis Drake, an Englishman, sailed along the coast 



276 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

of California northward to latitude forty-three degrees, and named 
the country New Albion. 

1578. Letters patent granted by Queen Elizabeth to Sir Hum- 
phrey Gilbert, for planting English colonies in America. 

1582. Santa Fe founded by Don Antonio de Espego. 

1583. Sir Humphrey Gilbert visited Newfoundland. He 
went on shore, pitched his tent, gathered around him a number of 
persons who were under his command, read his commission from 
Queen Elizabeth, and made proclamation that he took possession, 
for the crown of England, of " the harbor of St. John, and two 
hundred leagues every way around it." 

1484. March 25, letters patent granted by Queen Elizabeth to 
Sir Walter Raleigh, for the discovering and planting of new lands 
and countries, to continue for six years and no more. 

1585. In 1585 about one hundred and eighty English colo- 
nists, under the care of Sir Richard Grenville, were sent by Sir 
Walter Raleigh to found a settlement in Virginia. On the 26th 
of June they were landed at Roanoke, an island on the coast of 
the present state of North Carolina. This attempt to establish a 
colony was not successful. Mr. Thomas Hariot, a man of science 
and piety, who was among the colonists, made some attempts to 
instruct the Indians in reference to the Christian religion. His 
own account of these efforts is among the first records of mission- 
ary labors in behalf of the aborigines of North America. He 
says: "Many times and in every town where I came, according 
as I was able, I made declaration of the contents of the Bible, that 
therein was set forth the true and only God and his mighty works; 
that therein was contained the true doctrine of salvation through 
Christ, with many particularities of miracles and chief points of 
religion as I was able then to utter and thought fit for the time. 
And although I told them the book materially and of itself was 
not of any such virtue, as I thought they did not conceive, but 
only the doctrine therein contained, yet would many be glad to 
touch it, to embrace it, to kiss it, to hold it to their breasts and 
heads, and stroke over all their body with it, to show their hungry 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 277 

desire of that knowledge which was spoken of." [Early Missions 
of the English Church; The Church Monthly, June, 1865.] 

1595. A Spanish vessel, the San Augustin, was wrecked in 
the bay of San Francisco. 

1595. New Mexico was partly explored by a force composed of 
Spaniards under the command of Juan de Onate. 

1600. M. Chauvin, an officer of the French navy, visited 
Canada, and returned to France with a cargo of furs. 

1602. Bartholomew Gosnold made some unsuccessful efforts to 
establish an English settlement on one of the islands lying near the 
coast of Massachusetts. Gosnold carried on some traffic with the 
Indians, sowed some wheat, and returned to England with a cargo 
of furs, woods, etc. 

1603. Martin Pring, with two vessels furnished by merchants 
of Bristol, England, visited the coasts of New Hampshire and Mas- 
sachusetts, for the purpose of trading with the Indians, etc. In 
1606, Pring made a second voyage to the coast of New Hampshire* 

1605. French settlement founded at Port Royal (now Annap- 
olis), Nova Scotia. The French called the region Acadia. 

1605. " In 1605, a ship from London sailed by the direct route 
to America, and fell in with Long Island, where they sowed wheat 
as an experiment, and found it to spring up quickly. They traded 
for furs with the Indians at Connecticut river and other places and 
returned to London with a valuable cargo of furs and other arti- 
cles." [Macgregor's Progress of America, i. 164, 165.] 

1606. April 10, letters patent granted by King James I. for 
"two several colonies and plantations to be made in Virginia and 
other parts and territories of America." First, Sir Thomas Gates, 
Sir George Somers, and others of London and elsewhere, were au- 
thorized to plant their colony at any place on the Atlantic coast, 
between the thirty-fourth and forty-first degrees of north latitude. 
This company received a grant "of all the lands, woods," etc., " from 
the first seat of their plantation," " by the space of fifty miles of Eng- 
lish statute measure, all along the coast of Virginia and America, 
towards the west and southwest as the coast lyeth, with all the 



278 CHKONOLOGICAL KECOEDS. 

islands within one hundred miles, directly over against the same 
coast; and also all the lands, soil," etc., "from the said place of 
their first plantation and habitation, for the space of fifty like Eng- 
lish miles, all alongst the said coast of Virginia and America, 
towards the east and northeast, or towards the north as the coast 
lyeth, together with all the islands within one hundred miles di- 
rectly over against the said coast; and, also all the lands, woods," 
etc., "from the same fifty miles every way on the coast, directly 
into the mainland by the space of one hundred like English miles." 
The second company created by the letters patent of April 10, 
1606, consisted of Thomas Hanham, Raleigh Gilbert, William 
Parker, George Popham and others, of Plymouth and elsewhere. 
They were authorized to plant a colony at any place on the coast 
between the thirty-eighth and forty-fifth degrees of north latitude, 
and their grant of territory extended along the coast and back into 
the mainland so as to include a district equal in extent to that 
which was granted to the first company. The letters patent de- 
clared that the two colonies should not be planted within one hun- 
dred miles of each other. 

1607. English settlement founded at Jamestown, in Virginia, 
by the London Company. 

"When I went first to Virginia, I well remember, we did hang 
an awning (which is an old sail) to three or four trees to shadow us 
from the sun ; our walls were rails of wood, our seats unhewed 
trees till we cut planks, our pulpit a bar of wood nailed to two 
neighboring trees. In foul weather we shifted into an old rotten 
tent, for we had few better, and this came by the way of adventure 
for new. This was our church till we built a homely thing like a 
barn, set upon crotches, covered with rafts, sedge and earth; so 
was also the walls. The best of our houses of the like curiosity, 
but the most part far much worse workmanship, that could neither 
well defend wind nor rain; yet we had daily common prayer every 
morning and evening, every Sunday two sermons, and every three 
months the holy communion, till our minister died, but our pray- 
ers daily, with an homily on Sundays." [Captain John Smith's 
Pathway to Erect a Plantation. London, 1631. Collections of 
Massachusetts Historical Society, vol. 3, p. 44.] 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 279 

1607. An unsuccessful attempt was made by the Plymouth 
Company to plant a colony at the mouth of the Kennebec river. 

1608. Samuel Champlain selected the site of Quebec as a suit- 
able place for a French settlement and a fort. 

1608. Chesapeake Bay explored by Captain John Smith. 

1609. Henry Hudson, an Englishman in the service of the 
Dutch East India Company, discovered the river which bears his 
name. He explored the river about as far as the place on which 
the city of Albany now stands. 

1609. May 23, a new charter was granted by James I. to the 
London Virginia Company. This charter granted to the company 
" all those lands, countries and territories situate, lying and being 
in that part of America called Virginia, from the point of land 
called Cape Comfort, or Point Comfort, all along the sea-coast to 
the northward two hundred miles, and from the said coast of Cape 
Comfort all along the sea-coast to the southward two hundred 
miles; and all that space and circuit of land lying from the sea- 
ooast of the precinct aforesaid, up into the land throughout from 
sea to sea, west and northwest ; and also all the islands lying within 
one hundred miles along the coast of both seas of the precinct afore- 
said." The charter of 1609 was granted to " twenty-one peers, 
ninety-eight knights, and a multitude of esquires, doctors, gentle- 
men, merchants, and sundry of the corporation of London." 

1610. Hudson's Bay was discovered by Henry Hudson. 

1611. March 12, a third charter was granted by King James 
I. to the Virginia Company. 

1612 to 1614. The Dutch made some small settlements in the 
vicinity of the mouth of the Hudson river, and, about the year 
1623, the town of New Amsterdam was laid out on Manhattan 
island, the site of the city of New York. The region claimed by 
the Dutch was called New Netherland. It was taken by the En- 
glish in 1664, and in that year granted to the Duke of York. 
From this time to the year 1683 " the inhabitants were ruled by 
the duke's governors, who made rules and orders which were es- 
teemed to be binding as laws. These were regularly collected un- 



280 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

der alphabetical titles in 1674. A fair copy of them remains to 
this day among the records, and they are commonly known by the 
name of " The Duke's Laws." [British Dominion in North Amer- 
ica, New York, 28.] 

1614. The coast of New England explored by Captain John 
Smith. He gave to the region the name of New England. 

1614. The Dutch established some settlements on the Hudson 
river. They built a fort on the west side of the river near the site 
of Albany. 

1616. Upper Canada explored by Le Caron. 

161 6. Captain John Smith published his map of New England, 

1616. Virginia colonists commenced the cultivation of tobacco* 

1619. The first General Assembly in America met at James- 
town, in Virginia. 

1619. An order of the Virginia Company declares that " in all 
grants of land a fifth of the royal mines of gold and silver shall be 
reserved to the company, as another fifth is already reserved to the 
crown." 

1620. On the 3d of November, 1620, James I. granted, by 
letters patent, to "the council established at Plymouth, in the 
county of Devon [England], for the planting, ruling, ordering and 
governing of New England in America/' all the country on the 
Atlantic coast from the fortieth to the forty-eighth degree of north 
latitude, and "throughout the main land from sea to sea." On 
the 22d of December, 1620, a settlement was founded by the Puri- 
tans, or "Pilgrim fathers," at New Plymouth. The company, 
which was called the council of Plymouth, gave up their immense 
grant to the crown in 1635. Charters for the government of Mas- 
sachusetts were granted in 1629, 1630, 1726 and 1731. 

1620. In 1620 a Dutch ship, from the coast of Guinea, sold 
twenty negro slaves to the colonists of Virginia. 

1621. By instructions sent to Governor Wyatt, of Virginia, 
the people of that colony were required to " put their prentices to 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 281 

trades, and not let them forsake their trades for planting tobacco, 
or any such useless commodity." 

1622. In the spring of 1622, March 22, the Indians massacred 
in one day about three hundred and forty-seven colonists of Vir- 
ginia, including men, women and children. The Virginians, in 
retaliation, killed a large number of Indians and destroyed many 
Indian villages. 

1622. The following poetical description of the country around' 
Lake Champlain was written by " Thomas Morton, gentleman," 
who visited the lake in June, 1622, about two hundred and fifty- 
six years ago : 

"And when I had more seriously considered of the beauty of 
the place, with all her fair endowments, I did not think that in all 
the known world it could be paralleled. For so many goodly 
groves of trees, dainty, fine, round, rising hillocks, delicate, fair,, 
large plains, sweet crystal fountains, and clear running streams- 
that twine in fine meanders through the meads, making so sweet a 
murmuring noise to hear as would even lull the senses with delight 
asleep, so pleasantly do they glide upon the pebbly stones, jetting 
most jocundly where they do meet, and, hand-in-hand, run down 
to Neptune's court to pay the yearly tribute which they owe to 
him as sovereign lord of all the springs. Contained within the 
volume of the land fish in multitude and all discovered, besides 
millions of turtle-doves on the green boughs, which sat pecking of 
the full ripe pleasant grapes that were supported by the lusty trees 
whose fruitful loads did cause their arms to bend, while here and 
there dispersed you might see lilies and of the Daphnean tree, 
which made the land to me seem paradise." 

1624. A law of Virginia declares that " whosoever shall ab- 
sent himself from divine service any Sunday, without an allowable 
excuse, shall forfeit a pound of tobacco, and he that absenteth him- 
self a month shall forfeit fifty pounds of tobacco." 

1624. Virginia charters abrogated by the court of King's 
Bench, and Virginia was afterwards governed as a royal province. 
The charters, records and papers of the company were taken into 
possession of the king, who appointed a governor and counselors* 



282 CHKONOLOGICAL EECOKDS. 

residing in this colony to whom was committed the management of 

its affairs. 

1626. The northern shore of Lake Ontario explored by the 
French. 

1627. In April, 1627, Louis XIII., by a royal charter, granted 
to the company of New France the fort of Quebec, the settlements 
around it, all the territory which was then claimed under the name 
of New France, " including Florida, with all the countries along 
the course of the great river of Canada, and all the other rivers 
which discharge themselves thereinto, or which throughout those 
vast regions empty themselves into the sea, both on the eastern and 
western coasts of the continent, with all the harbors, islands, mines 
and rights of fishery." [Macgregor's America, i. 108.] The king 
reserved to himself supremacy in matters of faith, homage as sover- 
eign of the country, " with the acknowledgement of a crown of 
gold, weighing eight marks, on each succession to the throne ; the 
nomination of all commanders and officers of forts, and the ap- 
pointment of the officers of justice, whenever it became necessary 
to establish courts of law." [lb. 107.] 

1629. The General Assembly of Virginia ordered " war to be 
prosecuted against the Indians, and no peace made with them." 

1630. Boston founded by English settlers. The Indians 
called the place " Shawmut." 

1631. The General Assembly of Virginia prohibited trading 
or speaking with Indians. 

1632. June 20, charter granted for the government of Mary- 
land. 

1632. A law of Virginia requires ministers to " visit, instruct 
and comfort the sick." " Ministers shall not play at cards, dice or 
other unlawful games." 

1633. September 23, Charles I. granted a special commission 
to Thomas Young, to "search, discover and find out what parts are 
not yet inhabited in Virginia, [in] America and other parts there- 
unto adjoining." 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 283 

1634. A Christian mission established among the Indians, near 
the shores of Lake Huron, by the missionaries Breboef and Daniel. 

1634. First English settlement founded in Maryland, at St. 
Mary. 

1635. Roger Williams, a minister of Salem, Massachusetts, was 
banished from that colony on account of his religious opinions. He 
removed southward, and in 1636 founded the colony of Rhode 
Island and Providence Plantations. 

1637. A war commenced between the Pequod Indians and the 
colonists of Connecticut. The Indians carried on the war with 
great activity and barbarity. Many colonists were massacred. 
The stronghold of the Indians, which was called the Pequod fort, 
was attacked by the colonists, burned, and, according to some au- 
thorities, about six hundred men, women and children perished in 
the flames. The General Assembly of Connecticut, when the Pe- 
quod war was finished, declared that the name of Pequod should 
become extinct; that the river called Pequod should be called 
Thames, and the place called Pequod should be called New Lon- 
don. [Penhallow's Indian Wars (Cincinnati ed.) Appendix, p. 7.] 

1638 A Swedish settlement was established near the present 
site of Wilmington, in Delaware. 

1638. Great earthquake throughout New England. 

1639. First printing office in English colonies established at 
Cambridge, Massachusetts, by Samuel Green or by Stephen Daye.(?) 

1639. Nicolet, a Frenchman, and an Indian interpreter, ex- 
plored the country on the borders of the great lakes westward as 
as far as Green Bay and Fox river. 

1640. The island of Montreal was granted by the king of 
France to a company composed of thirty-five persons. 

• 1640. The Shawanee Indians began to settle on the borders of 
the river Ohio. It seems that the Indians and the early French 
M considered the Allegheny and the Ohio as one and the same 
river. * * Allegheny is from the Delaware language, and O-he-o 
from the Seneca, both meaning beautiful water." Hence the 



284 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

French name " La Belle Kiviere." Lewis Evans, in his map of 
1755, calls it the Allegan. He also gives the Shawanese name as- 
"Palawa Thoriki." [Egle's Pennsylvania, 1118.] 

1641. Charles Rayrnbault and Isaac Jogues, missionaries, vis- 
ited the Indians who resided in the vicinity of the Falls of St. 
Mary, near the outlet of Lake Superior. 

1643. The General Assembly of Virginia confirms the gift of 
land made by Benjamin Symms for the opening and support of a 
free school. 

1643. Articles of union and confederacy entered iuto by col- 
onists of New England. 

1644. In 1644 the Indians made a sudden attack on the col- 
onists of Virginia, about the head waters of York and Pamunky 
rivers, and massacred about three hundred persons. Some author- 
ities estimate the number of killed at five hundred. [Virginia 
Historical Collections, 61.] 

1646. John Eliot first preached to the Indians of Massachu- 
setts in their native language. [Collections Massachusetts Histori- 
cal Society, iii. 73.] 

1648. Certain Indians, at Jamestown, Virginia, inform the 
governor, " that, within five days' journey to the westward and by 
south, there is a great high mountain, and at the foot thereof great 
rivers that run into a great sea ; and that there are men that come 
hither in ships (but not the same as ours be) ; they wear apparel 
and have reed (red?) caps on their heads, and ride on beasts like 
our horses, but have much longer ears." * * * " The gov- 
ernor hereupon was preparing fifty horse and fifty foot to go and 
discover this thing himself in person, and take all needful pro- 
visions in that case requisite along with him ; and we hope to give 
a good account of it by the next ships, God giving a blessing on 
the enterprise, which will mightily advance and enrich this coun- 
try, for it must needs prove a passage to the South Sea, as we call 
it, and also some part of China and the East Indies." [Extract 
from "A Narrative of the Country Lying Within a Few Days' 
Journey of Virginia, West and by South," written in March, 1648,. 
and printed at London, in 1649.] 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 285 

1649. On the 19th of May, 1649, the Parliament of England 
passed "An act declaring and constituting the people of England 
to be a commonwealth and free state." 

1649. The English Parliament chartered "a corporation for 
-converting the American Indians." 

1649. The Huron tribe of Indians almost destroyed by the 
Iroquois or Five Nations. 

1650. October 3, the English Parliament passed an act pro- 
hibiting trade with Virginia. 

1650. The name " Quakers" first applied to the Society of 
Friends. 

1651. Christian Indians in Massachusetts establish a town 
which they call Natik, about seventeen miles from Boston. 

1654. A small party of adventurers started from James river, 
in Virginia, and crossed the Allegheny mountains. It is said that 
the party discovered several of the tributaries of the Ohio river. 

1654. The missionary Father Simon Le Moine visited the 
country of the Onondaga Indians. 

1655. A battle took place near the site of Annapolis, Mary- 
land, in which Governor Stone was defeated by a party of colonists 
who had named their settlement Providence, and who, for a time, 
resisted the government of Lord Baltimore. The loss of Governor 
Stone amounted to about fifty men killed and wounded and one 
hundred and fifty taken as prisoners. 

1656. Massachusetts passed laws to prevent the settlement of 
Quakers in that province. 

1657. The Five Nations carried on war against the Miamies 
and the Ottawas. 

1659. William Robinson and Marmaduke Stephenson, Qua- 
kers, were executed in Massachusetts "for their rebellious seditions 
and presumptuous obtruding themselves after banishment upon pain 
of death." 

1659. Virginia passed laws to prevent the settlement of Qua- 
kers in that colony. 



286 CHKONOLOGICAL EECOKDS. 

1659. Two French fur traders passed the winter on the shores 
of Lake Superior. In the summer of 1660 they returned to Que- 
bec with several canoes manned by Indians and laden with furs. 

1659. Tne authorities of Maryland published an order for the 
banishment of Quakers from that colony. 

1660. A map of Canada published. The lakes, Ontario, Erie 
and Huron, are delineated. 

1660. The missionary Rene Menard founded a mission among 
the Indians, on the southern shore of Lake Superior. 

1661. The New Testament translated into the language of the 
Indians of Massachusetts, by the Rev. John Eliot, was published 
in New England. Mr. Eliot translated the Old Testament, which 
translation was printed some years afterward (1675?) for the use of 
the Indians, for whom the same philanthropist prepared a primer, 
catechism and grammar. 

1662. Charter for the government of Connecticut granted 
April 23, 1662. 

1662. The General Court of Massachusetts appointed two 
licensers of the press. 

1662. The Assembly of Virginia passed a law which declares 
that every person who shall refuse to have his child baptized by a 
lawful minister shall pay a fine of two thousand pounds of tobacco. 

1662. Charter for the government of Rhode Island granted 
July 8, 1662. 

1663. Charter granted for the government of Carolina. Sep- 
arated into North Carolina and South Carolina in 1729. (?) 

1663. The importation of convicts was prohibited by the gen- 
eral court of Virginia. 

1664. New Jersey granted to the Duke of York, and by him 
to Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret. Separated into East 
and West Jersey March 3, 1677. Surrendered to the crown in 
1702. 

1664. The general court of Massachusetts ordered "that there 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECOKDS. 287 

shall be no printing press allowed within this jurisdiction but in 
Cambridge." 

1665. Missionaries visit the Indians who reside in the vicinity 
of Green Bay. 

1665. The Marquis de Tracy arrived in Canada with some 
companies of the regiment Carignan. The remainder of the regi- 
ment, with their colonel, M. de Sallierres, arrived soon afterwards. 

1667. M. de La Salle arrived in Canada from France. 

1667. Sir William Berkeley, governor of Virginia, sent out 
an expedition " of fourteen English and as many Indians, under 
the command of Captain Henry Batt, to explore the Indian 
country. Setting out from the Appomattox river, in seven days 
they reached the foot of the mountains. * * * After passing 
over the mountains they came upon a delightful level country, and 
discovered a rivulet that flowed to the westward. Following it 
for some days they reached old fields and cabins recently occupied 
by the natives. Batt left toys in them. Not far from these cabins, 
at some marshes, the Indian guides halted and refused to go any 
further, saying that not far off dwelt a powerful tribe that never 
suffered strangers that discovered their towns to escape. Batt was 
compelled to return." [Campbell's Virginia, p. 78.] Probably 
the "delightful level country" was the " Glades" or prairies about 
the head waters of the Youghiogheny river. 

1668. The first edition of Eliot's Indian Bible " was published 
as early, at least, as the year 1668." [Collections of Massachusetts 
Historical Society for 1800, p. 24.] 

1668. Missionaries from Canada visit the Indians on the west- 
ern borders of Lake Michigan. 

1669. A Spanish party passed up the Ohio and the Allegheny 
in 1669. This statement is based mainly on Indian tradition. 
[See an address delivered by De Witt Clinton on " the Antiquities 
of the Western Part of New York," Craig's Olden Time.] 

1670. In 1670 there were in America nine English colonies 
established on the Atlantic coast between the thirty-second and 
the forty-fifth degrees of north latitude. 



288 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

1671. Branches of the Miami Indians were on the "southern 
•extremity of Lake Michigan, in a place called Chicagou, from the 
jiame of a small river which runs into the lake, the source of which 
is not far distant from that of the river Illinois." [Charlevoix's 
Journal, i. 287.] 

1671. In the year 1671 Sir William Berkeley, governor of 
Virginia, made the following statements in reference to the affairs 
of that colony : 

" There is a governor and sixteen counselors, who have from 
his sacred majesty a commission of oyer and terminer, who judge 
and determine all causes that are above fifteen pound sterling ; for 
what is under there are particular courts in every county, which are 
twenty in number. Every year, at least, the Assembly is called, 
before whom lie appeals, and this Assembly is composed of two 
burgesses out of every county. These lay the necessary taxes, as 
the necessity of the war with the Indians or their exigencies re- 
quire. 

"Commodities of the growth of our country we never had any 
but tobacco, which in this yet is considerable, that it yields his 
majesty a great revenue ; but of late we have begun to make silk, 
and so many mulberry trees are planted and planting that if we 
had skillful men from Naples or Sicily to teach us the art of mak- 
ing it perfectly, in less than half an age we should make as much 
silk in a year as England did yearly expend three score years 
since ; but now we hear it is grown to a greater excess, and more 
-common and vulgar usage. Now, for shipping we have admirable 
masts and very good oaks ; but for iron ore I dare not say there is 
sufficient to keep one iron mill going for seven years. 

" We suppose, and I am very sure we do not much miscount, 
that there is in Virginia above forty thousand persons, men, wo- 
men and children, and of which there are two thousand black 
slaves, six thousand Christian servants for a short time; the rest 
are born in the country or have come in to settle and seat in bet- 
tering their condition in a growing country. 

" Yearly, we suppose, there comes in of servants about fifteen 
hundred, of which most are English, few Scotch and fewer Irish, 
and not above two or three ships of negroes in seven years." 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 289 

To the inquiry, "What course is taken about the instructing 
the people within your government in the Christian religion, and 
what provision is there made for the paying of your ministry?" 
Governor Berkeley wrote the following memorable answer: 

"The same course that is taken in England out of towns; ev- 
ery man, according to his ability, instructing his children. We 
have forty-eight parishes, and our ministers are well paid, and by 
my consent should be better if they would pray oftener and preach 
less. But of all other commodities so of this, the worst are sent 
us, and we had few we could boast of since the persecution of 
Cromwell's tyranny drove divers worthy men hither. But, I 
thank God, there are no free schools nor printing, and I hope we 
shall not have these hundred years, for learning has brought dis- 
obedience and heresy and sects into the world, and printing has 
divulged them, and libels against the best government. God keep 
us from both!" [Herring's Statutes, ii. pp. 511-517.] 

1671. A missionary station founded in Mackinaw, by James 
Marquette. 

1671. In June, S. Lusson, a French officer of Canada, met a 
large number of Indians in council at the Falls of St. Mary. The 
missionary Allouez acted as interpreter. 

1672. Louis de Baude, Count de Frontenac, built Fort Fronte- 
nac at the place where Kingston, Canada, now stands. 

1673. The missionary James Marquette, with M. Joliet and a 
small party, left Mackinaw on the 13th of May, and reached the 
Mississippi on the 17th of June. They descended that river to an 
Indian village that stood in the latitude of thirty-three degrees and 
forty minutes north. On the 17th of July Marquette and his com- 
panions left this village and, moving by the way of the Mississippi 
and Illinois rivers, arrived at Green Bay in the latter part of Sep- 
tember. 

1673. Virginia granted by Charles II. to the Earl of Arling- 
ton and Lord Culpepper for the term of thirty-one years. The 
grant was revoked in 1684, and Virginia again became a royal 
province. 
19 



290 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

1675. King Philip's war against the Plymouth colony com- 
menced in 1675 and ended in 1676. The Indians massacred a great 
number of colonists and burned many dwellings. In retaliation the 
colonists attacked the stronghold of the Indians, burned about five 
hundred wigwams, and killed or captured about one thousand war- 
riors. When the wigwams at the stronghold of the Indians were 
burned, a number of men, women and children perished in the 
flames. 

1675. Eebellion in Virginia, commenced by Nathaniel Bacon, 
brought to a close in 1676. In the course of this rebellion Bacon 
carried on a successful campaign against the Indians. 

1676. A law passed in Virginia declaring that Indian prison- 
ers may be sold as slaves. 

1677. In the Five Nations, consisting of Mohawks, Oneidas, 
Cayugas, Onondagas and Senecas, there were two thousand one 
hundred and fifty warriors. 

1679. September 18, a charter granted for New Hampshire, 
which, up to this time, was under the jurisdiction of Massachusetts. 

1679. August 7, the Griffin, a small vessel built by La Salle 
at or near the site of Erie, Pennsylvania, started on a voyage up 
Lake Erie. The Griffin arrived at Mackinaw on the 27th of 
August. The vessel was left at this place, and, using canoes, a 
number of Frenchmen under the command of La Salle coasted 
southwardly along the shore of Lake Michigan. 

1679. La Salle arrived at the mouth of the river St. Joseph 
of Lake Michigan on the 1st of November, and built a small fort, 
which he called Fort Miamis. 

1680. La Salle built Fort Crevecoeur, on the Illinois river. 
The Indians called the fort "Checagon." 

1680. Dn Luth and five other Frenchmen visited the Falls of 
St. Anthony. This name was given to the falls by the missionary 
Louis Hennepin, who passed down the Illinois river to the Missis- 
sippi in the spring of 1680. 

1681. March 5 (February ?), Pennsylvania granted to Wil- 



CHKONOLOGICAL KECOKDS. 291 

liam Penn by Charles II. About one thousand settlers arrived in 
the province of Pennsylvania in 1681. They were sent from Eng- 
land under the charge of Colonel William Markham, who was a 
nephew of Penn. In October, 1682, Penn arrived in his province 
with about two thousand emigrants. 

1682. Philadelphia founded by William Penn. In 1682, 
Penn's first terms for the sale of lands were forty shillings sterling 
for one hundred acres, and one shilling per annum quit rent. 

1682. La Salle, with a small party under his command, passed 
down the Illinois river into the Mississippi, and continued his voy- 
age down that river until he reached the Gulf of Mexico, in April, 
1682. 

1682. Suppression of the first printing press in Virginia. 
[Hening's Statutes, ii. 6.] 

1683. First treaty between Penn and the Indians. 

1684. A letter from Louis XIV. to M. De la Barre, governor- 
general of Canada, dated July 21, 1684, contains the following 
passage : 

" I desire, likewise, that you leave Fort Frontenac in the pos- 
session of Sieur de la Salle, or those who are there for him, and 
that you do nothing in opposition to the interest of that man, 
whom I take under my special protection." [Documentary His- 
tory of New York, i. 109.] 

1684. French traders carried guns to the Miami Indians. 

1686. King James II. gave orders to the governor of New 
York "to suffer no printing press in his government." 

1686. Du Luth, with a small number of men under his com- 
mand, established a post about fifty miles above Detroit. 

1687. As Du Luth and Tonty " were coasting along Lake 
Erie they met and captured Major McGregory, of Albany, New 
York, then on his way, with thirty Englishmen, to trade with the 
Indians at Mackinaw." [Annals of the Minnesota Historical Soci- 
ety, 1852.] 

1687. When the Assembly of Connecticut were about to give 



292 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

up their charter to Governor Andros, Joseph Wadsworth took pos- 
session of the charter and concealed it in a hollow tree, which 
afterwards bore the name of " the Charter Oak." 

1688. The French had some "establishments" or posts on the 
Mississippi, Ohio and Wabash rivers. (?) Small French settle- 
ments were probably founded at Kaskaskia and Cahokia before 
the year 1690. 

1689. In August about twelve hundred warriors of the Six 
Nations attacked the French settlement at Montreal, burnt a num- 
ber of houses and killed about two hundred of the inhabitants, and 
captured about two hundred prisoners. According to a statement 
in the "British Colonial Library," vol. i. p. 19, this attack on Mon- 
treal was made on the 26th of July, 1688, and about "one thou- 
sand," including men, women and children, were slain. (?) 

1690. February 8, a party composed of French and Indians 
attacked the settlement at Schenectady, killed and scalped about 
sixty persons, and burnt the town. 

1692. Persons accused of witchcraft executed in Massachu- 
setts. The historian Frost says: "Before this unhappy delusion 
was cleared away nineteen persons suffered death, eight more were 
under sentence, and one hundred and fifty were in prison." 

1692. An extract from the official journal of Don Diego de 
Bargas Zapata, now filed among the archives at Santa Fe, contains 
the following statements: 

" Tuesday, 11th November, 1692. I, the said governor and cap- 
tain-general, on this day entered the Pueblo of Zuni and received 
the submission of its people. On the same day the Rev. Fathers 
Corbera and Banoso baptized 294 children, male and female. This 
concluded, I was conducted to a room and shown an altar on which 
were burning two large tallow candles. Removing a piece of orna- 
ment I found the following articles of religious worship : two brass 
images of Christ, four inches long, set in wooden crosses; also an- 
other image of Christ, eighteen inches long; a portrait of John the 
Baptist, beautifully executed; one consecrated vase, gilded with 
gold ; a small box with two plates of glass, in which the host is ex- 
posed to public view ; four chalices, all of silver, and of different 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 293 

patterns ; one ancient mass book, very well preserved ; one con- 
fession book in the Spanish and in the Mexican language, etc., etc." 
The Pueblo of Zuni is situated on the borders of the Rio de 
Zuni, or Rio del Pescado, in the neighborhood of north latitude 
thirty-five degrees, five minutes and twelve seconds, and longitude 
one hundred and eight degrees, forty-one minutes and forty-five 
seconds. [Report of Lieutenant J. H. Simpson, Corps of United 
States Topographical Engineers, 1849 ; Annals Minnesota Histor- 
ical Society, 1852, p. 18.] 

1693. M. Le Sueur commissioned by the governor of Canada 
to establish a post on the southern shore of Lake Superior, and to 
make alliances with the Indians. 

1695. Le Sueur caused a small fort to be erected on an island 
in the Mississippi, about two hundred leagues above the mouth of 
the river Illinois. [Minnesota Historical Society Annals, 1852, 
p. 33.] 

1695. March 20, Jacob Gravier, a Jesuit missionary, baptized 
Peter Aco, son of Michael Aco and Maria. [First entry in "Ex- 
tract of the Register of Baptisms in the Mission of Illinois." (?) ] 

1696. About three hundred Spaniards, under Arriola, estab- 
lished a colony at Pensacola, where they erected a fort and built a 
church. 

1698. Le Sueur visited France and obtained a new commission, 
by which he was authorized to carry on mining in the Dakota 
country, about the upper borders of the Mississippi. 

1699. The General Assembly of Virginia passed "An act for 
the more effectual suppressing of blasphemy, swearing, cursing, 
drunkenness and Sabbath breaking. 

1699. The French, under the command of Lemoine d'Iberville, 
commenced the work of making a settlement at Biloxi, on the 
shores of Lake Borgne. 

1699. (?) A party consisting of twenty-three Spaniards, in search 
of gold and silver mines, passed up the Mississippi, Ohio and Alle- 
gheny rivers to Olean Point, where they left their boats and went 



294 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

by land io Onondaga Lake. It is supposed that the party was de- 
stroyed by hostile Indians. [Craig's Olden Time, ii. 431. Collins' 
Kentucky, i. 14. 

1700. A map published in France, in 1700, gives the location 
of Fort St. Louis on the left bank of the Illinois river, at the foot 
of Lake Peoria, which, in 1700, was called " Lake Pinietoui." 

1700. On the 13th of July, 1700, Le Sueur, with a party of 
nineteen men under his command, arrived at the mouth of the Mis- 
souri river, and continued his voyage up the river Mississippi, for 
the purpose of carrying on mining operations in the country about 
the head waters of that river. When Le Sueur arrived at the 
mouth of the river Illinois he received a letter from the missionary 
Rev. Gabriel Marest, who was stationed at Kaskaskia. The fol- 
lowing is an extract from the letter, which was written on the 10th 
of July, 1700: 

" I have the honor to write, in order to inform you that the 
Saugiestas have been defeated by the Scioux and Ayavois (Iowas ?). 
The people have formed an alliance with the Quincapous (Kicka- 
poos?), some of the Mecoutins, Kenards (Foxes), and Metesiga- 
mias, and gone to revenge themselves, not on the Scioux, for they 
are too much afraid of them, but perhaps on the Ayavois, or very 
likely upon the Paoutees, or more probably upon the Osages, for 
these suspect nothing, and the others are on their guard. As 
you will probably meet these allied nations, you ought to take 
precaution against their plans, and not allow them to board your 
vessel, since they are traitors and utterly faithless. I pray God 
to accompany you in all your designs." [NeilPs Early Trade 
and Traders of Minnesota; Annals of Minnesota Historical Soci- 
ety, 1852, p. 34.] On the Mankato, or Blue Earth river, Le Sueur 
built a stockade fort, to which he gave the name of " L'Huillier," 
in honor of a citizen of France. The fort was abandoned in 1703. 

1700. In New York a law was ordained for hanging every 
Roman Catholic priest that came voluntarily into the province. 
The passage of this law was intended to prevent the settlement of 
Jesuit priests among the Indians. [British Dominion in America, 
book iii. p. 34 ] 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 295 

1701. The English " Lords of Trade," etc., declared that " the 
independency the colonies thirst after is notorious." 

1701. From 1701 to 1726, inclusively, two thousand three 
hundred and seventy-five negro slaves were imported into the 
province of New York by slave traders. [Documentary History 
of New York, i. 707.] 

1701. The Five Nations placed themselves under the protec- 
tion of the English. About the year 1711 the Tuscaroras joined 
the Five Nations, and the confederacy became known as the Six 
Nations. 

1701. A permanent French settlement founded at Detroit, by 
Antoine de Lamotte Cadillac, accompanied by a missionary and 
about one hundred Frenchmen. 

1702. In 1702 Fort Miamis stood on the right bank of the 
river St. Joseph, which flows into the southeastern part of Lake 
Michigan. 

1702. M. Jucherau, a French officer from Canada, with about 
thirty-four Frenchmen, made an attempt to establish a trading post 
on the borders of the Ohio, at the mouth of that river ; and about 
the same time the missionary Mermet made an effort to found a 
missionary station among the Indians, who were invited to settle at 
that place. The site of an "ancient fort" on the right bank of the 
Ohio, near its mouth, is marked on a map published in London in 
1766. 

1704. In the winter of 1704 the town of Deerfield, in New 
England, was destroyed by a party of French and Indians. Forty- 
seven of the inhabitants were tomahawked. One hundred and 
twelve persons, men, women and children, were carried into cap- 
tivity. 

1704. Spanish garrison at St. Mark, Florida, destroyed by the 
English of Carolina, accompanied by a great number of Alabama 
Indians. [Charlevoix's Journal, ii. 339 (?).] 

1707. Small tracts of land were granted to French settlers at 
Detroit. 



296 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

1708. In 1708, in Carolina, emigrants from Germany were 
furnished with one hundred acres of land per head, free of quit 
rent for ten years. 

1710. A French trader settled at the site of Nashville, Ten- 
nessee. 

1710. The Quakers built their first meeting-house in Boston. 

1710. Port Royal, Nova Scotia, captured by the English. The 
name of Port Royal was changed to Annapolis, in honor of Queen 
Anne. 

1711. The missionary Chardon occupied a station on the St. 
Joseph river, which flows into Lake Michigan. 

1711. There was a slave market in Wall street, New York. 
[Barber's History of New York; Chronological Table.] 

1712. French settlement at Detroit besieged by the Kickapoo, 
Fox and Mascoutin tribes of Indians ; relieved by the Ottawas, 
Hurons and Pottawattamies. 

1712. The exclusive right to carry on trade and commerce in 
Louisiana was granted by Louis XIV. to Anthony Crozat, an 
officer of the king's household, and a man of great wealth. 

1713. The civilized population of Louisiana was estimated at 
about four hundred colonists. The province extended from Lake 
Michigan to the Gulf of Mexico. 

1714. Fort Rosalie built by the French, at the site of Natchez. 

1715. The French complained of the encroachments of Eng- 
lish traders in regions west of the Allegheny mountains. (?) 

1716. Two French vessels sailed from the mouth of the Mis- 
sissippi river, being the first vessels used for carrying productions 
of Louisiaua to France. 

1716. Governor Spotswood, of Virginia, attempted to pur- 
chase some lands lying on the borders of the Ohio river; and pro- 
posed a plan for planting English settlements on that river. 

A work printed in 1724, entitled, "The Present State of Vir- 
ginia, by Hugh Jones, A. M., Chaplain to the Honorable Assem- 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 297 

bly and Minister of Jamestown," contains the following statements: 
" Governor Spotswood, when he undertook the great discovery of 
the passage of the mountains, attended with a sufficient guard of 
pioneers and gentlemen, with sufficient stock of provisions, with 
abundant fatigue passed these mountains and cut his majesty's 
name in a rock upon the highest of them, naming it Mount George ; 
and, in complaisance, the gentlemen, from the governor's name, 
called the mountain next in height Mount Alexander. For this 
expedition they were obliged to provide a great quantity of horse 
shoes (things seldom used in the lower part of the country, where 
there are few stones), upon which account the governor, upon their 
return, presented each of his companions with a golden horse shoe 
(some of which I have seen studded with valuable stones, resem- 
bling the heads of nails), with this inscription on one side: 'Sic 
juvat transcendere montes/ and on the other side is written, ' The 
Tramontane Order.' This [order] he instituted to encourage gen- 
tlemen to venture back and make discoveries and new settlements, 
any gentleman being entitled to wear the golden shoe who can 
prove his having drunk his majesty's health upon Mount George." 
[See Hall's West, i. 184.] 

1716. French traders passed from Canada to the Mississippi 
by way of the Maumee, Wabash and Ohio rivers. 

1717. The site of New Orleans was selected for a town by M. 
Bienville. 

1717. Crozat surrendered his grant to the crown of France; 
and the trade and commerce of the province of Louisiana was 
granted to the Western, or Mississippi Company. At this time it 
was believed that the province was rich in mines of gold and sil- 
ver. 

1718. A settlement founded at Natchez by the French. 

1718. About eight hundred colonists were sent from France 
to Louisiana. 

1718. A small fort, called Fort Chartres, was built on the left 
bank of the Mississippi, about eighteen miles distant from Kas- 
kaskia. 



298 CHKONOLOGICAL EECOEDS. 

1719. The Mississippi Company, in consequence of having its 
privileges greatly extended, assumed the name of the Company of 
the Indies. 

1719. " The Indian traders at the head of the Potowmak were 
attacked by a body of Indians, and defeated with a loss of many 
lives." [Hazard's Pennsylvania Register, v. p. 114.] 

1719. Sieur Dubuison, French commandant at Ouiatenon, on 
the Wabash. 

1719. Reported death of "Sieur de Vincennes" among the 
Miami Indians. (?) 

1720. A few families emigrated from Canada, and settled at 
the villages of Kaskaskia and Cahokia. 

1721. The province of Louisiana was divided into nine dis- 
tricts, viz: New Orleans, Biloxi, Mobile, Alabama, Natchez, Ya- 
zoo, Natchitoches, Arkansas and Illinois. Negro slaves were im- 
ported from Africa into Louisiana and sold on a credit of three 
years to those settlers who were engaged in agricultural pursuits. 

1721. King George I. appointed a temporary government for 
Carolina; and "about the same time the province was divided into 
North and South Carolina." [Statutes of South Carolina, i. 429.] 

1721. Kaskaskia mentioned by Charlevoix as "a flourishing 
mission." 

1722. Grants of land to settlers in the vicinity of Kaskaskia. 

1722. In 1722 plans for the union of the English colonies in 
America were publicly proposed by Daniel Cox. It was believed 
by Mr. Cox, and probably by others, that a man could pass, by 
land, in half a day, from the head waters of the Mississippi to the 
head waters of streams flowing into the Pacific Ocean. 

1724. About this time the Delaware Indians emigrated from 
regions about the Delaware and Susquehanna rivers, and settled in 
the country about the head waters of the Ohio. 

1724. Louis XV. published an ordinance for the government 
of the colony of Louisiana, and for the regulation of slavery in 



CHKONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 299 

that colony. The following articles are copied from this ordi- 
nance : 

"The edict of the late king, Louis XIII., of glorious memory, 
dated the 23d of April, 1615, shall be in force in our province and 
colony of Louisiana, in the execution of which we enjoin the di- 
rectors-general of said company and all our officers to remove from 
said country all the Jews who may have taken up their abode 
there, the departure of whom, as declared enemies of the Christian 
name, we command, within three months, including the day when 
these presents are published, under pain of forfeiture of their bod- 
ies and estates." 

"All slaves who may be in our said province shall be educated 
in the Apostolic Roman Catholic religion and be baptized. We 
command those colonists who purchase slaves recently imported 
thus to have them instructed and baptized within a reasonable 
time, under pain of an arbitrary fine. We charge the directors- 
general of said company and all our officers to enforce this strictly." 

" We prohibit any other religious rites than those of the Apos- 
tolic Roman Catholic church, requiring that those who violate this 
prohibition shall be punished as rebels, disobedient to our com- 
mands. We prohibit all meetings for this purpose : such we de- 
clare to be unlawful and seditious assemblages, subject to the same 
penalties inflicted upon masters who shall permit or suffer it with 
respect to their slaves." 

" We admonish all our subjects, of every rank and condition, 
to observe scrupulously Sundays and holy days. We prohibit 
their laboring or causing their slaves to labor on those days (from 
the hour of midnight to the following midnight) in the culture of 
the soil or any other service, under penalty of a fine and arbitrary 
punishment, to be inflicted upon the masters, together with forfeit- 
ure of those slaves who shall be detected by our officers at work ; 
reserving to them, nevertheless, the privilege of sending their 
slaves to market." 

"Masters shall be obliged to inter in holy ground, within the 
cemeteries set apart for that purpose, their slaves who have been 
baptized; and with regard to those slaves who die without baptism, 
they shall be buried at night, in some field adjacent to the place of 
their decease." 



300 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

" The slave who shall have struck its master, mistress, the hus- 
band of its mistress, or their children, so as to bruise, draw blood, 
or upon the face, shall be punished with death." 

" The fugitive slave who shall have run away for the space of 
one month, counting from the day on which his master shall have 
reported him to the court, shall have his ears cut off and be branded 
with a fleur-de-lis upon one shoulder; and if he repeat the offense 
for the space of another month, including in like manner the day 
of his being informed against, he shall be hamstrung and branded 
with a fleur-de-lis upon the other shoulder; and the third offense 
shall be punished with death." 

" We prohibit all our subjects in said country, of every rank 
and condition, from putting their slaves or causing them to be put 
by their authority to the torture or rack, under any pretense what- 
soever, or from inflicting or causing to be inflicted any mutilation 
of the limbs, under the penalty of forfeiting the slaves and being 
prosecuted to the last extremity." 

" Slaves enfeebled by old age, sickness, or otherwise, whether 
the debility be incurable or not, shall be maintained and supported 
by their masters; and in case they have abandoned them, said 
slaves shall be quartered upon the nearest hospital, to which their 
masters shall be condemned to pay eight sous per day for the main- 
tenance and support of each slave, for the payment of which sum 
said hospital shall have a lien upon the plantations of said masters, 
into whose possession soever they may pass." [Le Code Noir ou 
Recueil de Reglemens, p. 281.] 

1725. English traders carry on a traffic with some of the 
Miami Indians. 

1727. Edmond Cartlidge, John Davenport and Henry Baly 
were Indian traders at " Alleeganeeing " (Allegheny), as early as 

1727.. 

1728. In September, 1728, the provincial authorities of Penn- 
sylvania said: "We are now apprehensive that the story we first 
heard in the spring of the Tweektwees or Naked Indians, or Mi- 
amis, (for they go by all these names) who live to the southwest of 
Lake Erie, being invited to attack this country, is not altogether 
without foundation." [Pennsylvania Archives, i. 230.] 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 301 

1728. Colonel William Byrd, of Virginia, in his journal, writ- 
ten in 1728, speaks of the Nottoway Indians in Southampton 
county as follows: 

" Those Indians dwell among the English, and see in 
what plenty a little industry enables them to live; yet they choose 
to continue in their stupid idleness, and to suffer all the incon- 
veniences of dirt, cold and want, rather than to disturb their heads 
with care or defile their hands with labor. 

" The whole number of people belonging to the Nottoway town, 
if you include women and children, amount to about two hundred. 
These are the only Indians of any consequence now remaining 
within the limits of Virginia. The rest are either removed or 
dwindled to a very inconsiderable number, either by destroying 
one another, or else by the small-pox and other diseases; though 
nothing has been so fatal to them as their ungovernable passion for 
rum, with which, I am sorry to say it, they have been too liberally 
supplied by the English that live near theni." [Howe's Historical 
Collections of Virginia, 471.] 

1729. The French settlement at Natchez and those on the 
Yazoo and Washita rivers destroyed by the Natchez tribe of In- 
dians. 

1729. Mr. Joshua Gee published a " Discourse on Trade," in 
which he urged the British government to plant colonies as far 
westward as the Mississippi. 

1729. Anthony Saduskus (or Sadowsk), John Maddox and 
John Fisher were Indian traders at " Allegheny," in the province 
of Pennsylvania. 

1729. Baltimore founded in the province of Maryland. 

1730. The Natchez tribe of Indians destroyed by the French. 

1731. The. French built a fort at Crown Point, on Lake 
Champlain, and called the fortification " Fort St. Frederick." 

1731. A description of the province of South Carolina, 
"drawn up at Charleston, in September, 1731," contains the fol- 
lowing statements: 

" His majesty grants to every European servant, whether man or 



302 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 



woman, fifty acres of land free from all rents for ten years, which 
shall be distributed to them after having served their masters for 
the time agreed on." * .* * « \y e shall only make the follow- 
ing observations: 1. That tnere were no people in Carolina till 
about sixty years ago, for the English did not begin to send any 
thither till the year 1670. 2. That they had at first very fatal 
beginnings, being afflicted with sickness, and even the plague, 
which daily diminished the number of the people. 3. That cruel 
divisions sprung up among them. 4. That they had a very bad 
government under the lords proprietors, being almost without or- 
der, justice or discipline. 5. That at a certain time the pirates 
interrupted their trade and navigation. 6. That they have often 
had great droughts. 7. That a terrible fire consumed almost all 
Charleston. 8. That they have been at great expense in fortifica- 
tions, public edifices, churches, etc. 9. That they have often sus- 
tained long wars with the French, Spaniards, and particularly with 
the Indians, who once united all together to destroy the whole 
province. 10. That, notwithstanding all these misfortunes, the 
people of Carolina, except those who gave themselves up to de- 
bauchery, are all rich, either in slaves, furniture, clothes, plate, 
jewels or other merchandise, but especially in cattle, which shows 
the goodness of the country they inhabit. The most part of those 
who came first thither were very poor and miserable ; several of 
those who are most considerable went but as servants. " [Force's 
Collections, vol. ii.] 

1732. A royal charter granted on the 9th of June, 1732, by 
George II., for the colony of Georgia, contains the following pass- 
age : 

" Whereas, we are credibly informed that many of our poor 
subjects are, through misfortune and want of employment, reduced 
to great necessity, insomuch as by their labor they are not able to 
provide a maintenance for themselves and families; and if they 
had means to defray their charges of passage and other ex- 
penses incident to new settlements, they would be glad to settle in 
any of our provinces in America, where, by cultivating the lands 
at present waste and desolate, they might not only gain a comfort- 
able subsistence for themselves and families, but also strengthen 



CHKONOLOGICAL RECOKDS. 303 

our colonies, and increase the trade, navigation and wealth of these 
our realms." 

1732. The "Company of the Indies" relinquished their char- 
ter, and the government of Louisiana reverted to the crown of 
France. 

1732. Ohio and Wabash rivers. u Some call both these rivers 
by the same name, and generally Wabache. But they ought to be 
distinguished, because the head of the Ohio comes more easterly, 
extending even to the government of New York, towards Virginia 
or Carolina, and among divers other large streams it receives the 
river Peresipi [Cumberland] on the south side, not far from the 
mouth of the Wabache, which said river of Peresipi is said to rise 
in the mountains of Virginia or Carolina." [Letter from James 
Logan to John Penn, dated 27th February, 1732; Hazard's Penn- 
sylvania Register, iii. 211.] 

1732. Some white settlements founded in the Shenendoah val- 
ley. The early white settlers of this valley were principally Ger- 
mans, Irish and Scots. In 1732, Joist Hite, and others from Penn- 
sylvania, founded a settlement near the present site of Winchester. 

1732. By an order in council, of May 4, 1732, all governors 
of his majesty's plantations were prohibited from assenting to any 
laws whereby the inhabitants of such plantations would be placed 
on a more advantageous footing than those of Great Britain. 
[Mills' Colonial Constitutions, p. 50.] 

1734. Robert Harper was the first settler at the place after- 
wards known as Harper's Ferry. 

1734. November 2, certain copies of the " New York Weekly 
Journal," published by John Peter Zenger, ordered to be " burned 
by the hands of the common hangman, or whipper, near the pil- 
lory." Order issued at a council held at Fort George ; present, 
governor and council. The order sets forth that the said papers 
contained " many things tending to sedition and faction, and to 
bring his majesty's government into contempt," etc. Mr. Zenger 
was arrested, imprisoned, bailed, tried and acquitted. 

1734. A number of the French inhabitants about Detroit 



304 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 



reported to the governor-general of Canada that they "had not 
dared to undertake any clearings and establish farms, because they 
had no titles which could secure them the property thereof." 

1735. The French founded a permanent settlement at Vin- 
cennes, on the Wabash, about this time. 

1736. The statutes against witchcraft were repealed by the 
British Parliament. 

1736. In 1736 John Wesley established a school of thirty or 
forty children at Savannah, in Georgia. Stevens' History of Geor- 
gia, i. 341, says that Mr. Wesley placed the school under the care 
of Mr. Delamotte, a man of good education, who endeavored to 
blend religious instruction with worldly learning; and, on Sunday 
afternoon, Wesley met them in church, before evening service, 
heard the children recite their catechism, questioned them as to 
what they had heard from the pulpit, instructed them still further 
in the Bible, endeavoring to fix the truth in their understandings, 
as well as their memories. This shows, says Stevens' History, that 
John Wesley, in the parish of Christ Church, Savannah, had estab- 
lished a Sunday school nearly fifty years before Robert Raikes 
originated his noble scheme. 

A work entitled " A True and Historical Narrative of the Col- 
ony of Georgia, in America," printed in 1741, makes the following 
remarkable statement in relation to the Rev. John Wesley: "At 
last all persons of any consideration came to look upon him as a 
Roman Catholic." 

1736. In 1736 the village of St. Joseph, south of Lake Mich- 
igan, contained about one hundred Pottawattamie warriors, ten 
Miami warriors, and eight Illinois Kaskaskias warriors. [Docu- 
mentary History of New York, i. 21.] 

1736. An expedition under the command of M. D'Artuguitte 
was defeated by the Chickasaw Indians. Among those who per- 
ished in this expedition was M. de Vincennes. 

1738. An Indian council, held at Allegheny, Pennsylvania, 
March 15, 1738, determined to u spill all rum brought among them 
for the term of four years." [Pennsylvania Archives, i. 549.] 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 305 

1738. " Before the year 1738, some pioneer cabins, erected 
near the Shavvanee springs, formed the embryo of the town of 
Winchester, Virginia, long the frontier outpost of the colony. 
# * * The pioneer settlers of the Shenandoah valley were, 
principally, Germans, Irish and Scots." [Campbell's Virginia, 112, 
113.] 

1739. M. Longueil, from Canada, passed down the river Ohio, 
and visited Big Bone Lick, in Kentucky. [Collins.] 

3 740. Several Indian traders went from Virginia to trade 
with Indians residing on the borders of the Ohio and its tribu- 
taries. Among the Indian traders who went from the English col- 
onies and visited the country west of the Allegheny mountains, 
between the years 1715 and 1740, were John Evans, Peter Chea- 
ver, Henry Devoy, Owen Nicholson, Alexander Magenty, Patrick 
Burns, George Hutchison, Barnaby Currin, John McQuire and a 
Mr. Frazer. 

1741. At New York, in 1741, a time of great popular excite- 
ment prevailed on the subject of a supposed "negro plot." A 
large number of negroes and about twenty white persons were im- 
prisoned in the course of a few months. Thirteen negroes were 
burned at the stake. [New American Cyclopedia, xii. 284.] 

1741. The Indians at "Allegheny" sent to the governor of 
Pennsylvania a letter in which they made complaints about the 
large quantities of rum brought among them by traders. [Minutes 
of Provincial Council of Pennsylvania, iv. 502.] 

1742. Count Zinzendorf, founder of the Christian sect called 
Moravians, visited Indian villages in Wyoming valley, Pennsyl- 
vania. 

1742. Richmond, Virginia, founded. 

1742. Lands granted by the Miami Indians for the use of the 
inhabitants of Vincennes. 

1743. (?) Commons granted to the inhabitants of Kaskaskia 
by the governor-general of Louisiana. 

20 



306 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

1743. Peter Chartier, a half-blood Indian trader and inter- 
preter, tried to engage the Shawanees in a war against the Six Na- 
tions. Chartier's creek, which enters the Ohio about three miles 
below Pittsburg, was named after this man. In 1745, Chartier 
accepted a commission under the French authorities of Canada, 
and dissolved his connection with the English of Pennsylvania. 
[Minutes of the Provincial Council of Pennsylvania, iv. 757.] 

1743. Watson's Annals of Philadelphia, vol. ii. p. 109, says: 
" At an election held in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, in 

1743, " to supply the vacancy of Thomas Linley, the Irish com- 
pelled the sheriff to receive such tickets as they approved, and to 
make a return accordingly. The Assembly cancelled or so far 
altered the returns as to give the seat to Samuel Blunston." 

1744. A treaty held with the Six Nations, at Lancaster, Penn- 
sylvania, in June, 1744. Witham Marshe, who was secretary of 
the Maryland commissioners at this treaty, gives the following 
description of the Indian traders of that period : 

" The traders, for the most part, are as wild as some of the 
most savage Indians amongst whom they trade for skins, furs, etc., 
for certain kinds of European goods and strong liquors. They go 
back in the country, above three hundred miles from the white 
inhabitants. Here they live with the Indian hunters till they 
have disposed of their cargoes, and then, on horses, carry their 
skins, etc., to Philadelphia, where they are bought by the mer- 
chants there, and from thence exported to London. It is a very 
beneficial trade, though hazardous to their persons and lives; for 
the weather is so excessively cold where they trade, which is near 
the lakes of Canada, and their cabins so poorly made to defend 
themselves from the bitter winters, that they often perish ; and, on 
the other hand, they are liable to the insults and savage fury of the 
drunken Indians by selling to them rum and other spirituous 
liquors. " [Marshe's Journal ; Collections of Massachusetts His- 
torical Society for 1800, p. 184.] 

1744. According to a document laid before the French gov- 
ernment, .there were three hundred white inhabitants in the dis- 
trict of Illinois. 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 307 

1744. Hostilities commenced between the English and French 
colonies in America. Peace concluded at the treaty of Aix-la- 
Chapelle in 1748. 

1747. Ensign Chevalier de La Peyrade was commandant of 
the post of the Ouatenons, on the Wabash; Sieur La Perriere 
Marin, commandant at the post on the river St. Joseph ; and Sieur 
Dubuisson, commandant " at the Miamis." [Paris Documents.] 

1748. Conrad Weiser, an Indian interpeter, in the service of 
Pennsylvania, was at Logstown, on the Ohio, in August. 

1748. First treaty between the Miami Indians and the English 
was negotiated at Lancaster, Pennsylvania. 

1748. An association called the " Ohio Company " was organ- 
ized for the purpose of planting English settlements on the lands 
west of the Allegheny mountains. In 1749 the company received 
from George II. a grant of about half a million acres of land ly- 
ing on and near the borders of the Ohio river. The company was 
also authorized to carry on a trade with the Western Indian tribes. 

1749. St. Ange, " commandant at Post Vincene," granted a 
small lot of land to Baptiste Racine, July 3. 

1749. The white population of the English colonies in Amer- 
ica was estimated at about one million and fifty thousand. The 
white population of the French colonies in America was estimated 
at about fifty-two thousand. 

1749. In a memorial, written by M. Le Bailly Messager, 
dated December 17, 1749, it was proposed to establish, under the 
authority of France, a "central power on the Wabash." In this 
year a church was established at the site of Vincennes, by the Rev. 
S. L. Meurin. The records of the church commence on the 21st 
of April, 1749. 

1749. A letter addressed to the governor of Pennsylvania, 
dated April 22, 1749, from Conrad Weiser, an Indian interpreter, 
contains the following words : " They [the Indians] tell me that 
above thirty families are settled upon the Indians' land .this spring, 
and daily more goes to settle thereon ; some have settled almost to 



308 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

the heads of Jornada [Juniata] river, along the path that leads to 
Ohio." [Pennsylvania Archives.] 

1749. In 1749 the British government offered lands on favor- 
able conditions to all persons who would emigrate to Nova Scotia 
and settle in that province, viz : " Every soldier, sailor and work- 
man was to have fifty acres of land for himself and ten for every 
person he carried over in his family. All non-commissioned 
officers were, eighty for themselves and fifteen for their wives and 
children; ensigns, two hundred; lieutenants, three hundred; cap- 
tains, four hundred and sixty ; and all other officers of a higher 
rank, six hundred, together with thirty for each of their depend- 
ents. The land was to be tax-free for the first ten years, and never 
to pay above two sols six deniers [about one shilling] for fifty acres. 
Besides this, the government engaged to advance or reimburse the 
expenses of passage, to build houses, to furnish all the necessary in- 
struments for fishery or agriculture, and to defray the expenses of 
subsistence for the first year. These encouragements determined 
three thousand seven hundred and fifty persons to go to America in 
the month of May, 1749, rather than run the risk of starving in 
Europe." [Raynal ; vide Dodsley's Annual Register for the year 
1776.] 

1749. Several English traders passed westwardly over the Al- 
legheny mountains, to carry on a traffic with the Indians. 

1749. The governor-general of Canada sent out an expedition 
under the command of Louis Celoron, for the purpose of exploring 
the country between Detroit and the Allegheny mountains, depos- 
iting medals with appropriate inscriptions at the mouths of the 
principal rivers and other important places, and thus taking formal 
possession of the country in the name of Louis XV. King of 
France. On the 16th of August, Celoron was at the mouth of the 
Muskingum river, and on the 18th of the same month he was at 
the mouth of the Great Kanawha. 

1749. A small English trading post established on Great Miami 
river. (?) 

1750. In 1750, Hugh Crawford, of Pennsylvania, was an 
Indian trader at a village on the Wabash river. 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 309 

1750. "In the last six months of 1750 there were buried in 
Philadelphia, thirteen Swedes, twenty-six Presbyterians, nine Bap- 
tists, one hundred and four Quakers, twenty-eight Dutch Luther- 
ans, thirty-nine Dutch Calvinists, fifteen Roman Catholics, sixty- 
four Church of England, forty-two negroes." [British Dominion 
in America, b. iii. p. 108.] 

1750. Population of English colonies in America, 1,051,000. 
Population of Canada, 45,000. Population of Louisiana, 7,000. 

1750. In April, 1750, Dr. Walker, of Virginia, visited the 
Shawanee river, and gave to it the name of Cumberland river. 

1750. Considerable quantities of produce sent from Illinois to 
New Orleans. Forty vessels at New Orleans. 

1750. The missionary Yivier, in a letter dated "Illinois, 17th 
of November, 1750/' says: "We have three stations in this part 
of the world, one of Indians, one of French, and a third composed 
partly of Indians and partly of French. The first contains more 
than six hundred Illinois, all baptized, with the exception of five 
or six ; but the fire-water, which is sold to them by the French, 
and especially by the soldiers, in spite of the reiterated prohibi- 
tions on the part of the king, and that which is sometimes dis- 
tributed to them under pretext of maintaining them in our inter- 
est, has ruined that mission. " 

1751. Christopher Gist, in the service of the Ohio Company, 
passed over the Allegheny mountains and explored the country on 
the borders of the Ohio, to a point within fifteen miles of the falls 
of that river. Mr. Gist was instructed "to examine the quality of 
the lands, keep a journal of his adventures, draw as accurate plan 
of the country as his observation would permit, and report the 
same to the board of directors." 

1751. Shawanee villages, on both sides of the Ohio river, just 
below the mouth of the Scioto, containing, aggregately, about 
three hundred men. 

1751. Georgetown, now in the District of Columbia, founded. 

1752. The following editorial announcement is taken from the 



310 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

Philadelphia Weekly Mercury, of November 30, 1752. [Filling- 
ham's Ten Thousand Wonderful Things, p. 249.] 

" On Monday next the northern post sets out from New York, 
in order to perform his stage but once a fortnight during the win- 
ter quarter. The southern post changes also, which will cause this 
paper to come out Tuesdays during that time." 

"The colds which have infested the northern colonies have 
also been troublesome here, few families having escaped the same. 
Several have been carried off by the cold, among whom was David 
Brintnall, in the seventy-seventh year of his age. He was the 
first man that had a brick house in the city of Philadelphia, and 
was esteemed for his just and upright dealing." 

" There goes a report here that the Lord Baltimore and his 
lady are arrived in Maryland, but the southern post being not yet 
come in, the said report wants confirmation." 

1752. On the 13th of June, at Logstown on the Ohio river, 
about eighteen miles below the confluence of the Allegheny and 
Monongahela rivers, Col. Fry and two other commissioners, on the 
part of Virginia, obtained a promise from some Indians that they 
would not "molest any settlements that might be made on the 
southeast side of the Ohio." 

1752. About two hundred and forty Indians, under the com- 
mand of two Frenchmen, captured and destroyed an English trad- 
ing post at a Twightwee or Miami village on Loramie's creek, near 
the Great Miami river. Of the traders, one was killed and five 
were carried away as captives. Fourteen of the Twightwee or 
Miami Indians were killed, and the traders' goods w T ere confiscated 
for trading in the country which the French claimed. 

1753. George Henry, John Evans, James Devoy and Owen 
Nicholson, were taken prisoners by a number of Indians, with a 
Frenchman at their head, for trading in the country westward of 
the Ohio. 

"During the Spanish and French war the Indian trade was 
very considerably enlarged by means of the Shawanees, Delawares 
and Six Nation Indians, who, from the quick increase of the Eng- 
lish in the colonies, quitted their old places of residence for want 



CHKONOLOGICAL KECORDS. 311 

of game or corn, and removed to Allegheny. They were greatly 
encouraged by the Twightwees and other nations inhabiting be- 
yond the Ohio, as they drew our traders after them. Croghan and 
others had stores on the Lake Erie, all along the Ohio from Bar, 
and other store-houses on the Lake Erie, all along the Miami 
river, and up and down all that fine country watered by the 
branches of the Miamis, Scioto and Muskingum rivers, and upon 
the Ohio from Bockaloons, an Indian town near its head, to below 
the mouth of the Miami river, an extent of five hundred miles, on 
one of the most beautiful rivers in the world. * * * They 
traded all along the rivers."* 

1753. George Washington was selected by Governor Dinwid- 
die, of Virginia, to be the bearer of an official letter to the com- 
mander of the French forces in the country claimed by Virginia, on 
the western side of the Allegheny mountains. The letter, which 
required the French forces to withdraw from that country, was de- 
livered by Washington to M. Le Guarduer de St. Pierre, who was 
the commandant of a post on the western branch of French creek, 
and who refused to comply with the demand of the governor of 
Virginia. At this time the French were occupying military posts 
at Presq' Isle, on Lake Erie, at Le Bceuf, on the western branch of 
French creek, and at Venango, on the Allegheny, at the mouth of 
French creek. (?) The following is a translation of the reply of 
the French officer to Governor Dinwiddie. It bears the date of 
December 15, 1753: 

" As I have the honor to command here in chief, Mr. Washing- 
ton delivered me the letter which you directed to the commandant 
of the French troops. I should have been pleased if you had 
given him orders, or if he himself had been disposed to visit Can- 
ada and our general, to whom, rather than to me, it properly ap- 
pertains to demonstrate the reality of the king, my master's, rights 
to lands situated along the Ohio, and to dispute the pretensions of 
the king of Great Britain in that respect. 

" I shall immediately forward your letter to Monsieur Le Mar- 
quis Du Quesne. His answer will be law to me ; and if he directs 

*" This part of the MS. is much interlined and difficult to read." [Pennsylvania, 
Archives (1754), pp. 233-238.] 



312 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

me to communicate it to you, I assure you, sir, I shall neglect 
nothing that may be necessary to convey it to you with expedition. 

"As to the requisition you make (that I retire with the troops 
under my command), I can not believe myself under any obliga- 
tion to submit to it. I am here in virtue of my general's orders; 
and I beg, sir, you would not doubt a moment of my fixed resolu- 
tion to conform to them with all the exactitude and steadiness that 
might be expected from a better officer. 

" I do not know that, in the course of this campaign, anything 
has passed that can be esteemed an act of hostility, or contrary to 
the treaties subsisting between the two crowns, the continuation of 
which is as interesting and pleasing to us as it can be to the Eng- 
lish. If it had been agreeable to you, sir, in this respect, to have 
made a particular detail of the facts which occasion your complaint, 
I should have had the honor of answering you in the most explicit 
manner; and I am persuaded you would have had reason to be 
satisfied. 

" I have taken particular care to receive Mr. Washington with 

all the distinction suitable to your dignity and to his quality and 

great merit. I flatter myself that he will do me this justice, and 

join with me in testifying the profound respect with which I am, 

"Sir, your most humble and most obedient servant, 

" Le Gardeur De St. Pierre." 

[Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society for the year 
1800, p. 71.] 

1753. The General Assembly of Virginia passed an act for 
the encouragement of settlers on the waters of the Mississippi. 

1753. The Miami Indians sent deputies to Canada to hold 
councils with the French authorities. 

1753. William Zane and several members of his family, who 
resided on the south branch of the Potomac river, were carried off 
as prisoners by the Indians. 

By order of Governor Dinwiddie one thousand acres of land 
were ordered to be laid off, contiguous to the fort to be built at 
the " fork of the Ohio." These lands were set apart for the use 



CHKONOLOGICAL KECOKDS. 313 

of the soldiers on duty at the fort, and were to be called the "gar- 
rison lands." 

Dinwiddie, also, by proclamation, granted two hundred thou- 
sand acres of land on the Ohio river, to be divided among the sol- 
diers who should engage in the proposed expedition against the 
French and Indians, about the head waters of the Ohio. Proc- 
lamation was sanctioned by the king. [Washington's Writings, i. 
40. J 

1754. Dr. Benjamin Franklin proposed a plan for establishing 
English colonies in the country northwest of the Ohio river. He 
proposed to plant one colony in the valley of the river Scioto, and 
to erect small fortifications at Buffalo creek, on the Ohio; at the 
mouth of Tioga, on the south side of Lake Erie; at Hockhocking; 
and at or near the mouth of the river Wabash. He also advised 
that the French post at Sandusky, and " all the little French forts 
south and west of the lakes quite to the Mississippi be removed 
or taken and garrisoned by the English." " Every fort," he said, 
" should have a small settlement around it, as the fort would pro- 
tect the settlers and the settlers defend the fort and supply it with 
provisions." [Franklin's Writings, iii. 70.] 

1754. War broke out between England and France, and 
lasted until 1763. 

1754. In 1754, Conrad Weiser, an Indian interpreter, in the 
service of Pennsylvania, said : " The Shawanees and Delawares 
removed from Pennsylvania above thirty years ago," to the coun- 
try lying about the head waters of the river Ohio. 

1754. M. Contrecceur, a French officer, with about one thou- 
sand men and eighteen pieces of cannon, passed down the Alle- 
gheny river from Venango, and, on the 17th of April, took 
possession of the point of land formed by the junction of the Mo- 
nongahela and Ohio rivers, where Fort Du Quesne was completed 
in the month of April. A small detachment of Virginia militia, 
about forty men, under the command of Captain Trent, and a few 
men in the service of the Ohio Company, were permitted to retire 
from the point on the arrival of the French forces. (?) 

1754. In the spring Col. Joshua Fry and Major George Wash- 



314 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

ington received orders from the governor of Virginia to march, 
with a force consisting of about two hundred men, to the point at 
the confluence of the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers and there 
to complete a fort which the Ohio Company had begun to build. 

1754. In an official document, Governor Morris, of Pennsyl- 
vania, said: "The French are making a settlement of three 
hundred families in the country of the Twightwees " [Miamis], 

1754. A small detachment of soldiers sent out from Fort Du 
Quesne was attacked and defeated by a detachment of the forces 
under Washington, at the Little Meadows, on the 28th of May. 
The loss of the French amounted to eleven killed and twenty-two 
captured, one of whom was wounded. The commander of the 
French detachment, the Sieur de Jumonville, was among the slain. 
He bore a summons to Washington, requiring him to retire, but 
Washington did not know this fact at the time of the attack. The 
Virginians lost one killed and two or three wounded. 

1754. On the first of July, at the Great Meadows, Washington 
began to fortify a rude post, which he called Fort Necessity. This 
place, after a gallant defense, was surrendered on the 4th of July, 
on terms which were proposed to Washington by the French com- 
mander, De Villiers. 

1754. About the close of the year 1754, there were seventeen 
small French posts in the region northwest of the river Ohio. 

1755. Copy of a letter to the governor of the province of Penn- 
sylvania dated, 

" Fort Louther, June 6, 1755. 
"Sir: — Captain Jack has promised his aid in the contemplated 
attack on Fort Du Quesne. He, will march with his ' Hunters/ 
by a circuitous route and join Braddock. He and his men are 
dressed in hunting shirts, moccasins, etc., are well armed, and are 
equally regardless of heat and cold. They require no shelter for 
the night. They ask no pay. If the whole army was composed of 
such men there would be no cause for apprehension. I shall be 
with them in time for duty. Yours, etc., 

George Croghan." 

Captain Jack was a white man whose wife and children had 



CHKONOLOGICAL KECOEDS. 315 

been murdered by Indians, after which event he abandoned the 
pursuits of civilized life, gathered around him a few followers, and 
made his name famous as an enemy of Indians. 

1755. General Edward Braddock, with a force consisting of 
two regiments of British regulars, and about one thousand colonial 
troops, was surprised and defeated by the French and Indians, on 
the 9th of July, near the banks of the Monongahela river, at a 
place about eight miles distant from Fort Du Quesne. Braddock 
was mortally wounded, and died on the 13th of July. The whole 
number of British officers in the engagement was eighty-six, of 
whom twenty-six were killed and thirty-seven wounded. The loss 
of private soldiers, killed and wounded, amounted to seven hun- 
dred and fourteen. The French loss amounted to about seventy, 
killed and wounded. Braddock's road over the Allegheny moun- 
tains was made, as a general rule, at least twenty feet wide, but 
only fifteen feet wide in very difficult places. 

1755. Prices offered in Braddock's campaign against Fort Du 
Quesne : " Each wagon with four good horses and a driver, fif- 
teen shillings per day; each able horse with a pack-saddle, two 
shillings per day ; each horse without a saddle, eighteen pence per 
day." [Advertisement signed by B. Franklin.] 

Braddock's Field lies " on the east side of the Monongahela 
river, half a mile below the mouth of Turtle creek, and by the 
course of the river twelve miles above Pittsburg, but only eight 
miles from the city by a direct line across the country. The Mon- 
ongahela here runs nearly due north, and Turtle creek enters the 
river from the southeast, forming below the junction of the two 
streams an obtuse angle of about one hundred and twenty-five 
degrees. This is 'Braddock's Field/ The general level of the 
country is about three hundred and fifty feet above the Mononga- 
hela and Turtle creek, and the abrasion of the waters has worn 
away the earth, in the course of ages, to their present bed ; conse- 
quently a person floating on the river sees it skirted on either side 
with apparent mountains, whilst one standing on the top of either 
of these supposed mountains sees the river and creek flowing be- 
neath him in real valleys." * * * " The hills never rise per- 
pendicularly and rarely abruptly from the margin of the river; 



316 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

but generally along the Monongahela, as on the Ohio, there is a 
middle tract of plain or flat land extending from one hundred 
yards to a quarter of a mile in width. This is called the ' first 
bottom/ and is always composed of a soft pebble mould of exu- 
berant fertility, and usually raised thirty feet above low water 
mark. Beyond the bottom is a gentle elevation, fifty or sixty feet 
in height and of an average width equal to the first bottom, with 
a slight inclination toward the river. This is called the ' second 
bottom/ and is composed of firm clay soil covered with mould, but 
of sufficient firmness to form good roads. Beyond this ' second 
bottom ? rise the hills by an abrupt and often precipitous ascent to 
the higher plain or upland of this region." [Hazard's Register of 
Pennsylvania, vol. 16, p. 97.] 

1755. The French inhabitants of Nova Scotia, who were 
called Acadians, were forcibly removed from their settlements. 

1755. A letter written at Easton, and dated December 25, 
1755, says: "The country all above this town for fifty miles is 
mostly evacuated and ruined. The people have mostly fled into the 
Jerseys. * * *. The enemy made but few prisoners, murder- 
ing almost all that fell into their hands, of all ages and both 
sexes." [Proceedings of the New Jersey Historical Society, vol. 
v. No. 2.] 

1755. The French built a small fort at Prairie du Chien. 

1756. Fort Chartres, near Kaskaskia, tranformed into a strong 
fortification. (?) 

1756. A force consisting of Pennsylvania militia, under the 
command of Lieutenant Colonel John Armstrong, made an attack, 
in September, (?) on Kittanning, an Indian village on the Alle- 
gheny river. About thirty cabins were burned and a small num- 
ber of Indians were killed. 

1756. The following extract is copied from " Instructions of 
B. Franklin to Capt. John Valletta," dated "at Bethlehem, in the 
county of Northampton, January 12, 1756": "You are to proceed 
immediately to raise a company of foot, consisting of thirty able 
men," etc. " You are to acquaint the men that if in their ranging 
they meet with, or are at any time attacked by the enemy, and kill 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 317 

any of them, forty dollars will be allowed and paid by the govern- 
ment for each scalp of an Indian enemy so killed, the same being 
produced with proper attestations." [Pennsylvania Archives.] 

1756. After Braddock's defeat, Benjamin Franklin, who sub- 
sequently won distinction as a patriot, philosopher and statesman, 
was sent by the authorities of Pennsylvania to establish a line of 
forts in the northwestern parts of that province. He says: "I had 
but little difficulty in raising men, having soon five hundred and 
sixty under my command. My son, who had seen service, was my 
aid-de-camp, and of great value to me. The Indians had burned 
Gnadenhutten, a village settled by the Moravians, and massacred 
the inhabitants. It was January, 1756, when we set out upon this 
business of building forts. We had not marched many miles be- 
fore it began to rain and continued all day. There were no in- 
habitants on the road till we arrived, at night, at a German's house, 
where, and in his barn, we were all huddled together as wet as 
water could make us. It was well we were not attacked, for our 
arms were of the most ordinary sort, and our men could not keep 
the locks dry. The Indians are dexterous in contrivances for that 
purpose, for they met that day eleven farmers, and killed ten of 
them ; the one that escaped, told us that the guns would not go off, 
the priming being wet. 

"At Gnadenhutten we hutted ourselves and commenced bury- 
ing the dead. Next morning our fort (Fort Allen) was planned, 
and was finished in a week. However contemptible, it was a 
sufficient defense against Indians without cannon. We met no 
Indians, but found the places where they lay to watch us. There 
was an art in their contrivances worth mentioning. It being 
winter, fire was necessary for them, but a common fire would have 
betrayed by its light and smoke; they had, therefore, dug holes, 
about three feet in diameter and somewhat deeper. We found 
where they had, with their hatchets, cut off the charcoal from the 
sides of burnt logs, lying in the woods. With these coals they had 
made small fires in the bottom of the holes, and we observed 
among the weeds and grass, the prints of their bodies made by their 
lying all round with their legs hanging down in the holes to keep 
their feet dry and warm, which, with them, is an essential point. 



318 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

This kind of fire could not reveal them by its light, flame, sparks, 
or even smoke. 

" We had for our chaplain, a zealous Presbyterian minister, Mr. 
Beatty, who complained to me that the men would not attend his 
prayers and exhortations. I had observed that they were punctual 
at their rum rations, half a gill morning and evening, upon which 
I said : ' It is, perhaps, below the dignity of your profession to act 
as steward of the rum, but if you were to distribute it only just 
after prayers, you would have them all about you.' He liked the 
thought, undertook the task, and never were prayers more gener- 
ally or punctually attended." [McKnight's Western Border, 
p. 236.] 

1757. Extract of a letter from Edmund Atkin, Esq., king's 
superintendent of Indian affairs in the southern district, to Gov- 
ernor Horatio Sharpe, of Maryland, dated 

"Winchester, 30th June, 1757. 
" It remains only for me to say something concerning scalps. I 
find several of our colonies are become fond of giving large re- 
wards for them. If these rewards were confined to their own peo- 
ple it would be a very laudable thing, inasmuch as it would be the 
means of animating many poor white men, who have been used to 
the woods, to go in quest of the enemy Indians, and it would af- 
ford that support to some of them, in particular, who have been 
driven from their own habitations in the back settlements by the 
war, which they are certainly best entitled to. But as those re- 
wards are intended and offered chiefly to Indians, the case is very 
different." * * * "It is encouraging to the utmost private 
scalping, whereby the most innocent and helpless persons, even 
women and children, are purposely murdered, without the least ben- 
efit accruing by it — actions only becoming the greatest savages and 
unworthy of any Christian people to reward." * * * " But 
to speak upon this subject on the footing of interest, large public 
rewards for scalps given by provincial laws to Indians are attended 
with very pernicious consequences to his majesty's service, for they 
are so many temptations to some Indians to kill others that are 
our friends, that is, when they think they have a good opportunity 
to kill such single Indians that are found alone. Two fresh in- 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 319 

stances of this have presented themselves to me. A single Chick- 
asaw (one of our best friends) who was coming up this way with 
the Cherokees, was killed by them when asleep, and a single Creek 
in their company had like to have shared the same fate. As no 
cause of quarrel is pretended, the motive could only be in their 
scalps. Those Cherokees carried the Chickasaw's scalp with them 
out to war towards Fort Du Quesne and brought it back again, 
and it is now hanging exposed in public before my eyes, made into 
two scalps, among the scalps of their enemies, though they know 
not that I know it." * * * 

" I think what I have said sufficiently proves the pernicious 
consequences to his majesty's service (wherein the general interest 
of the colonies is included) flowing from large rewards for scalps 
given by provincial laws to the Indians. And further, those re- 
wards open a door to great fraud and imposition upon the colonies 
or the donors themselves ; for the Cherokees, in particular, have 
got the art of making four scalps out of one man killed. Here are 
now twenty scalps hanging out to public view, which are well 
known to have been made out of five Frenchmen killed. What a 
sum (at fifty pounds each) would they produce if carried to Mary- 
land, where the artifice would not probably be discovered. For 
these reasons I have declared to the Indians I have met here that 
I do not buy scalps." [Pennsylvania Archives, 1757, pp. 199, 200.] 

1758. Major Grant, with a force of about eight hundred men, 
was defeated by French and Indians, in the vicinity of Fort Du 
Quesne, September [21?]. Loss of the English, about two hun- 
dred and ninety-five killed or captured. Grant was among the 
latter. The court house at Pittsburg now stands on an elevation 
which was formerly called ' ' Grant's Hill." 

1758. Fort Ligonier, built at Loyal Hannon (or Lyal Hen- 
ning?), in Pennsylvania, by General Forbes. 

1758. November 25, the English forces, under the command 
of General John Forbes, take possession of Fort Du Quesne, 
which had been dismantled and abandoned by the French on the 
approach ot Forbes' army. The fortifications were hastily repaired, 
and garrisoned by four hundred men, chiefly militia from Pennsyl- 



320 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

vania, Virginia and Maryland, under the command of Colonel 
Mercer. The name of the post was changed to Fort Pitt. 

1758. The French established a small post on the right bank 
of the Ohio river, at a point about eight miles above the mouth of 
the Tennessee river. M. Massac was the first commandant of the 
post. 

1758. The Moravian missionary, Christian Frederick Post, 
who visited the Indians residing about the head waters of the Ohio 
river, says in his journal: " All Indians are excessively fond of 
rum, and will be drunk whenever they can get it." 

1759. In the summer of 1759 it was reported that a large 
force, composed of French and Indians, were at Venango, making 
preparations to attack Fort Pitt. It is said that a Monsieur D'Au- 
bray had brought from Kaskaskia to Venango about four hundred 
men and two hundred thousand pounds of flour. "Cut off from 
the route of the Ohio (or Allegheny) by the abandonment of Fort 
Du Quesne, he proceeded with his force down the Mississippi and 
up the Ohio to the Wabash ; thence up that river to the portage at 
Fort Miami, * * * and carried his stores over to the Mau- 
mee, passed down that river and along the shore of Lake Erie to 
Presque Isle, and carried to the portage to La Bceuf, thence de- 
scended French creek to Venango." [Egle's Pennsylvania, 1225.] 

1759. In August Colonel J. Burd was sent by Colonel Bo- 
quet (then in command at Carlisle, Pennsylvania) to "cut a road 
somewhere from General Braddock's road" to the mouth of Red- 
stone creek, where it empties itself into the river Monongahela, 
and to erect a fort at that point. Colonel Burd was engaged in 
the work of building a fort at Bedstone creek in the middle of 
September, 1759. 

1759. General John Forbes died at Philadelphia. 

1759. In September Quebec, the stronghold of the French 
in Canada, was taken by the English forces under Generals Wolfe, 
Monckton and Townshend. 

1759. Extract from an advertisement for wagons, published 
in Philadelphia, May 4, 1759, by Brigadier-General John Stanwix: 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 321 

" Each wagon to load at the grand magazine, at Carlisle ; and 
for every gross hundred weight carried from thence to Pittsburg 
(formerly Fort Du Quesne), to receive forty-two shillings and six 
pence." "The wagons entering the service to be appraised and 
paid for, if taken or destroyed by the enemy." " Provender for 
the horses to be provided by the owner." " Each wagon to be fit- 
ted in the following manner, viz: with four good, strong horses, 
properly harnessed; the wagons to be complete in everything, 
large and strong, having a drag-chain eleven feet in length, with a 
hook at each end, a knife for cutting grass, falling ax and shovel, 
two sets of clouts, and five sets of nails, an iron hoop to the end 
of every axletree, a linen mangle, a two gallon keg of tar and oil 
mixed together, a slip bell, hopples, two sets of shoes and four sets 
of shoe nails for each horse, eight sets of spare hames and five 
sets of hame strings, a bag to receive their provisions, a spare set 
of linch-pins, and a hand screw for every three wagons. The 
drivers to be able-bodied men." "The drivers to be furnished 
with provisions as the king's troops." And "each wagon to be 
provided with forage." [Pennsylvania Archives.] 

1760. In the course of this year Montreal, Detroit, Mackinaw, 
and all other posts within the government of Canada, were sur- 
rendered to the English, on condition that the French inhabitants 
should, during the war, be " protected in the free exercise of their 
religion and the full enjoyment of their civil rights, leaving their 
future destinies to be decided by the treaty of peace." 

1760. A small town, called Pittsburg, was built near Fort 
Pitt, and about two hundred families resided in it; but, upon the 
Indian war breaking out in 1763, they abandoned their houses and 
retired into the fort." [Hutchins' Topographical Description of 
Pennsylvania.] 

1760. A coal mine was opened on the banks of the Mononga- 
hela, opposite to Fort Pitt, for the use of the garrison. 

1760. The old Mingo town, on the right bank of the Ohio river, 
about seventy-five miles below Fort Pitt, contained about sixty 
Indian families. 

21 



322 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

1761. "A return of the number of houses, of the names of own- 
ers and number of men, women and children in each house. 

" Fort Pitt, April 14, 1761." 
Total number of inhabitants, - - - - - 233 
Soldiers and officers, with their families, 95 

Houses, - - - - - - - - . - 104 

[Egle's Pennsylvania, 321.] 

1761. William Jacob settled at the mouth of Redstone creek, 
but was obliged to leave that place in 1763, on account of Indian 
hostilities. 

1762. The Moravian missionaries Post and Heckewelder 
begin to make efforts to establish a mission among the Indians on 
the Muskingum river. 

1762. November 4th to 13th, by a secret convention, France 
ceded to Spain all that part of Louisiana which was situated on the 
western side of the Mississippi, to be delivered whenever Spain 
should be ready to receive it. But this was not announced to the 
inhabitants of Louisiana till April 21, 1764; nor did Spain receive 
possession till the 17th of August, 1769. [9 Raynal, 222-235. (?)] 

1762. King Beaver, a noted Delaware chief, lived at Tusca- 
rawas, on the Muskingum. (?) 

1763. Definitive treaty of peace concluded between England 
and France, at Paris, February 10. Nova Scotia, Canada, and all 
the French possessions northwest of the Ohio and east of the Mis- 
sissippi, were ceded to Great Britain. 

1763. Early in 1763 a powerful Indian confederacy was or- 
ganized, mainly by the efforts of the celebrated chief Pontiac, for 
the purpose of subduing the English power at all posts and places 
in the regions lying westward of the Allegheny mountains. The 
Indians who formed this confederacy were Ottowas, Chippewas, 
Pottawatamies, Sacs, Foxes, Menominies, Miamis, Shawanees, 
Wyandots, and branches of some other tribes. The Indians, 
without much opposition, took possession of the posts at Mackinaw, 
Green Bay, St. Joseph, Ouiatenon, Miamis, Sandusky, Presque Isle, 
Leboeuf and Venango. With the exception of Mackinaw, there 
were only slight fortifications at these places, which were trading 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 323 

posts, and not regular military establishments. A small number of 
English traders were killed at these posts. The garrisons at De- 
troit and Fort Pitt were successful in resisting the attacks of the 
Indians, who, nevertheless, carried on a barbarous warfare against 
the settlers on the western frontiers of New York, Pennsylvania 
and Virginia, until the fall of the year 1764. 

1763. On the 4th of June, a large party of Indians, by strat- 
egy, took possession of the English military post at Mackinaw, 
killed and scalped about seventy soldiers, and saved the lives of 
about twenty persons, among whom there were a few Indian 
traders. 

1763. In July, 1763, a number of Delaware Indians and a few 
Shawanees, Wyandots and Mingoes, assembled at Fort Pitt, and 
the Delawares and Shawanees, in the name of the northwestern 
tribes, summoned Captain Ecuyer to retire with his soldiers from 
the country lying on the western side of the Allegheny mountains. 
In his reply to the demands of the Indians, Captain Ecuyer, who 
had about three hundred and thirty men under his command, said : 
" You suffered the French to settle in the heart of your country; 
why should you turn us out of it now? I will not abandon this 
post. I have warriors, provisions and ammunition in plenty to de- 
fend it three years against all the Indians in the woods. Go home 
to your towns, and take care of your women and children." [Capt. 
Ecuyer's Answer. Bancroft, v. 128, 129.] 

1763. The Indians maintained a close siege against the English 
garrison at Detroit, from May till the month of August, when many 
of them retired to their villages. A small number of English sol- 
diers (19) were killed in a skirmish near Detroit, on the 31st of 
July. 

1763. In an official letter of August 10, 1763, General Am- 
herst says : " I have thought proper to promise a reward of one 
hundred pounds to the man who shall kill Pontiac, the chief of the 
Ottawas," etc. " Take no prisoners/' said Amherst, in the same let- 
ter, " but put to death all that fall into your hands of the nations 
who have so unjustly and cruelly committed depredations." 

1763. By the twentieth article of the definitive treaty con- 



324 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

eluded between the kings of Great Britain, France and Spain, on 
the 10th of February, 1763, Spain "ceded and guaranteed, in full 
right, to his Britannic majesty, Florida, with Fort St. Augustin 
and the bay of Pensacola, as well as all that Spain possessed on the 
continent of North America, to the east or to the southeast of the 
river Mississippi." 

The following extracts are copied from an ordinance issued by 
George III. in reference to granting lands to settlers in Florida: 

Whereas, nothing can more effectually tend to the speedy set- 
tling our said colony, the security of the property of our subjects 
and the advancement of our revenue, than the disposal of such 
lands as are our property, upon reasonable terms, and the estab- 
lishing a regular and proper method of proceeding, with respect to 
the passing grants of such lands; it is, therefore, our will and 
pleasure that all and every person and persons, who shall apply to 
you for any grant or grants of land, shall, previous to their obtain- 
ing the same, make it appear before you in council that they are 
in a condition to cultivate and improve the same by settling 
thereon, in proportion to the quantity of acres desired, a sufficient 
number of white persons and negroes. And whereas, great incon- 
veniences have arisen in many of our colonies in America, from 
the granting excessive quantities of land to particular persons, who 
have never cultivated or settled it, and have thereby prevented 
others more industrious from improving the same ; in order, there- 
fore, to prevent the like inconveniences for the future, you are to 
take especial care that in all grants to be made by you, by and 
with the advice of our council, to persons applying for the same, 
the quantity be in proportion to their ability to cultivate; and you 
are hereby directed to observe the following directions and regula- 
tions in all grants to be made by you, viz : That one hundred 
acres of land be granted to every person, being master or mistress 
of a family, for himself or herself, and fifty acres for every white 
or black man, woman or child of which such person's family shall 
consist at the actual time of making the grant; and in case any 
person applying to you for grants of lands shall be desirous of 
taking up a larger quantity than the actual number of persons in 
his or her family would entitle such person to take up, it is our 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 325 

will and pleasure, and you are hereby allowed and permitted to 
grant unto every such person or persons such further quantity of 
land as they may desire, not exceeding one thousand acres, over 
and above what they are entitled to by the number of persons in 
their respective families: Provided, it shall appear to you that 
they are in a condition and intention to cultivate the same : And 
provided also that they do pay to the receiver of our quit-rents, or 
to such other officer as shall be appointed to receive the same, the 
sum of five shillings only for every fifty acres so granted, on the 
day of the date of the grant. 

That every grantee, upon giving proof thai, he or she has ful- 
filled the terms and conditions of his or her grant, shall be entitled 
to another grant, in proportion and upon the conditions above men- 
tioned. 

That, for every fifty acres of lands accounted plantable, each 
patentee shall be obliged, within three years after the date of his 
patent, to clear and work three acres at least in that part of his 
tract which he shall judge most convenient and advantageous, or 
else to clear and drain three acres of swampy or sunken grounds, 
or drain three acres of marsh, if any such be within the bounds of 
his grant. 

That, for every fifty acres of land accounted barren, every pat- 
entee shall be obliged, within three years after the date of his 
grant, to put and keep on his land three neat cattle, which number 
he shall be obliged to continue on his land until three acres of 
every fifty be fully cleared and improved. 

That, if any person shall take up a tract of land wherein there 
shall be no part fit for present cultivation, without manuring and 
improving the same, every such grantee shall be obliged, within 
three years from the date of his grant, to erect, on some part of 
his land, one good dwelling-house, to contain at least twenty feet 
in length and sixteen feet in breadth, and also to put on his land 
the like number of three neat head of cattle for every fifty acres. 

That, if any person who shall take up any stony or rocky 
grounds, not fit for culture or pasture, shall, within three years 
after the passing of his grant, begin to employ thereon, and so to 
continue for three years next ensuing, in digging any stone quarry 
or mine, one good and able hand for every hundred acres of such 



326 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

tract, it shall be accounted a sufficient cultivation and improve- 
ment. 

That every three acres that shall be cleared and worked as 
aforesaid, and every three acres which shall be cleared and drained 
as aforesaid, shall be accounted a sufficient seating, planting, culti- 
vation and improvement, to save forever from forfeiture fifty 
acres of land in any part of the tract contained within the said 
patent ; and the patentee shall be at liberty to withdraw his stock 
or to forbear working in any quarry or mine in proportion to such 
cultivation and improvement as shall be made upon the plantable 
lands or upon the swampy and sunken grounds and marshes which 
shall be included in the same patent. 

That when any person, who shall hereafter take up and patent 
any land, shall have seated, planted, and cultivated or improved 
the said land, or any part of it, according to the directions and con- 
ditions above-mentioned, such patentee may make proof of such 
seating, planting, cultivation and improvement, in the general court 
or in the court of the county, district or precinct where such land 
shall lie, and have such proof certified to the register's office, and 
there entered with the record of the said patent, a copy of which 
shall be admitted on any trial to prove the seating and planting 
such land. 

And, lastly, in order to ascertain the quantity of plantable and 
barren land contained in each grant hereafter to be made within 
our said province, you are to take care that in all surveys hereafter 
to be made every surveyor be required and enjoined to take par- 
ticular notice, according to the best of his judgment and under- 
standing, how much of the land surveyed is plantable, and how 
much of it barren and unfit for cultivation, and, accordingly, to in- 
sert in the survey and plat, by him to be returned into the regis- 
ter's office, the true quantity of each kind of land. And it is our 
further will and pleasure that in all grants of land to be made by 
you, as aforesaid, regard be had to the profitable and unprofitable 
acres, so that each grantee may have a proportionable number of 
one sort and the other ; as, likewise, that the breadth of each tract 
of land to be hereafter granted be one-third of the length of such 
tract, and that the length of each tract do not extend along the 
banks of any river, but into the mainland ; that, thereby, the said 



CHONOLOGICAL EECOEDS. 327 

grantees may have each a convenient share of what accomodation 
the said river may afford for navigation or otherwise. And it is 
our will and pleasure, that in every grant of land within our said 
province, to be hereafter made by you, you take especial care that 
a clause be inserted reserving to us, our heirs and successors, a 
quit-rent of one half-penny sterling per acre, payable at the feast 
of St. Michael, every year, the first payment to commence on the 
said feast of St. Michael which shall first happen at the expiration 
of two years from the date of the grant, and to be payable on every 
ensuing feast of St. Michael, or within fourteen days after. 

Entered at Pensacola, November 3, 1765. [Land Laws of the 
United States, p. 960.] 

In 1783 England retroceded Florida to Spain. 

1763. August 5th and 6th, Indians defeated by Col. Boquetat 
Bushy Run, west of Ligonier, in Pennsylvania. Col. Boquet, 
with about five hundred men, was on a march from Carlisle to the 
relief of Fort Pitt. The loss of the Americans was fifty killed, 
sixty wounded and five missing. 

1763. Mason and Dixon commence the survey of a boundary 
line between the colonies of Pennsylvania and Maryland. 

1763. Proclamation of the king concerning lands, settlements 
and the boundaries of English provinces and colonies in America. 
The proclamation prohibited the settlement of British subjects on 
lands lying westward of the Allegheny mountains. 

1763. The site of St. Louis selected by Pierre Ligueste La- 
clede for a trading post. According to some authorities the 
selection was not made until the 15th of February, 1764. 

1764. General Bradstreet, with a force of about three thou- 
sand men, marched on an expedition against the Wyandots, 
Ottawas, Chippewas and other Indian tribes living near the bor- 
ders of the lakes Erie, Huron and Michigan. The Indians met 
him with overtures of peace, before and after his arrival at Detroit. 

1764. Col. Henry Boquet, with a force amounting to about 
fifteen hundred men, marched from Fort Pitt in the month of 
October, to attack the Delawares, Shawanees and other hostile 



328 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

tribes who inhabited the country northwest of the Ohio. When 
Col. Boquet arrived at the forks of the Muskingum river the Del- 
awares, Shawanees and other tribes made entreaties for peace, and 
delivered up two hundred and six white prisoners, eighty-one 
males and one hundred and twenty-five females. From this period 
until the year 1774 the Indians waged no warfare against the west- 
ern frontier settlers of the English colonies. 

1764. General Thomas Gage, commander-in-chief of the 
British forces in North America, issued a proclamation concerning 
the French inhabitants of " the country of the Illinois." The fol- 
lowing is a copy of the proclamation : 

" By his excellency, Thomas Gage, major-general of the king's 
armies, colonel of the 22d regiment, general commanding in chief 
all the forces of his majesty in North America, etc., etc. 

" Whereas, by the peace concluded at Paris on the 10th of 
February, 1763, the country of the Illinois has been ceded to his 
Britannic majesty, and the taking possession of the said country of 
the Illinois by the troops, though delayed, has been determined 
upon, we have found it good to make known to the inhabitants 
that his majesty grants to the inhabitants of the Illinois the liberty 
of the Catholic religion, as it has already been granted to his sub- 
jects in Canada ; he has consequently given the most precise and 
effective orders, to the end that his new Roman Catholic subjects 
of the Illinois may exercise the worship of their religion according 
to the rites of the Roman church, in the same manner as in Canada. 

" That his majesty, moreover, agrees that the French inhab- 
itants, or others who have been subjects of the most Christain king, 
may retire in full safety and freedom, wherever they please, even 
to New Orleans, or any other part of Louisiana, althongh it should 
happen that the Spaniards take possession of it in the name of his 
Catholic majesty ; and they may sell their estates, provided it be to 
subjects of his majesty, and transport their effects as well as their 
persons, without restraint upon their emigration, under any pre- 
tense whatever, except in consequence of debts or of criminal 
process. 

" That those who choose to retain their lands and become sub- 
jects of his majesty shall enjoy the same rights and privileges, the 



CHKONOLOGICAL RECOKDS. 329 

same security for their persons and effects, and liberty of trade, as 
the old subjects of the king. 

" That they are commanded, by these presents, to take the oath 
of fidelity and obedience to his majesty, in presence of Sieur Ster- 
ling, captain of the Highland regiment, the bearer hereof, and fur- 
nished with our full powers for this purpose. 

"That we recommend forcibly to the inhabitants to conduct 
themselves like good and faithful subjects, avoiding, by a wise and 
prudent demeanor, all cause of complaint against them. 

" That they act in concert with his majesty's officers, so that 
his troops may take peaceable possession of all the posts, and order 
be kept in the country. By this means alone they will spare his 
majesty the necessity of recurring to force of arms, and will find 
themselves saved from the scourge of a bloody war, and all the 
evils which the march of an army into their country would draw 
after it. 

" We direct that these presents be read, published and posted 
up in the usual places. 

" Done and given at head-quarters, New York. Signed with 
our hand, sealed with our seal at arms, and countersigned by our 
secretary, this 30th December, 1764. 

" By His Excellency, Thomas Gage. [l. s.] 

G. Matukin." 

1764. Captain St. Ange, on leaving Post Vincennes, appointed 
Mr. Deroite de Richarville and Mr. De Caindre to superintend 
the public affairs of the place, and to maintain good order among 
the French inhabitants and also among the Indians. St. Ange's 
instructions to the appointees contain the following passages : 

" Their first care ought to be to maintain a good understanding 
between the French and the Indians, and to check any beginning 
of disorder as soon as possible. Whenever complaint shall be 
made to them against any person, they shall select a tribunal com- 
posed of the principal inhabitants of the place, and the matters 
[in dispute] shall be decided by a plurality of votes. Messrs. De- 
roit de Richarville and De Caindre can not too earnestly require 
the inhabitants to maintain their fences, it being the interest of the 
public that [domestic] animals shall not be allowed to pass from 



330 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

the commons into the cultivated fields. They will prevent, as 
much as they can, the disorders which are too often occasioned by 
intoxicating liquors. Whenever any information interesting to the 
public service shall come to their knowledge, they will apprize me 
of it. In conclusion, in all cases which I can not foresee, I depend 
on their good conduct and their regard for the public welfare. 
Given at Post Vincennes, on the 18th of May, 1764. 

"St. Ange." 
[Translated from the original, preserved among the papers of 
Charles B. Lasselle, Esq.] 

1764. In 1764 occurred the terrible massacre of Conestoga In- 
dians in the workhouse of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where they were 
placed for security. A company of fifty men, from Paxtang, with 
blackened faces, armed and mounted, entered the town at full gal- 
lop, went to the workhouse and effected their cruel purpose. They 
had before, on the 14th of December, 1763, destroyed the town of 
Conestoga Manor, murdered six of the Indians, three men, two 
women and a young boy, and burned the place. 

On the 27th of December, 1763, the Rev. Mr. Elder wrote to 
Governor Penn a letter, from which the following is an extract: 

(t The storm, which had been so long gathering, has at length 
exploded. Had government removed the Indians from Conestoga, 
as was frequently urged without success, this painful catastrophe 
might have been avoided. What could I do with men heated to 
madness? All that I could do was done. I expostulated, but life 
and reason were set at defiance ; and yet the men, in private life, 
were virtuous and respectable — not cruel, but mild and merciful. 
* * * Xhe time will arrive when each palliating circumstance 
will be calmly weighed. This deed, magnified into the blackest of 
crimes, shall be considered one of those youthful ebullitions of 
wrath caused by momentary excitement, to which human infirmity 
is subjected." [Egle's Pennsylvania, p. 113; Franklin's Works, 
iv. 59; Watson's Annals of Philadelphia.] 

1764. Instructions from Lieutenant-Governor John Penn to 
James Young, paymaster, etc., dated Philadelphia, June 28, 1764, 
contain the following passage : 

" You will acquaint the captains that every soldier will be al- 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 



331 



lowed three shillings per month who brings with him a strong dog 
that shall be judged proper to be employed in discovering and pur- 
suing the savages. It is recommended to them to procure as many 
as they can, not exceeding ten per company. Each dog to be kept 
tied and led by his owner." [Pennsylvania Archives.] 

1764. The house of burgesses in Virginia appointed a com- 
mittee to prepare an address to the king and parliament, express- 
ing their sense of the destructive consequences of such a measure 
(Stamp Act). The assembly of New York also sent petitions, 
which, in a spirit more bold and decided than those from any 
other colony, asserted their own rights, and the limitations of 
British power. [History U. S.] 

Captain Carver, who wrote in 1765, says : 

" At this business (scalping) the Indians are exceedingly expert. 
They seize the head of the disabled or dead enemy, and placing 
one of their feet on the neck, twist their left hand in the hair. By 
this means, having extended the skin that covers the top of the 
head, they draw out their scalping-knives, which are always kept 
in good order for this cruel purpose, and with a few dexterous 
strokes take off the part that is termed the scalp. They are so ex- 
peditious in doing this that the whole time required scarcely ex- 
ceeds a minute." [Carver's Travels, 213.] 

1765. The English take possession of "the Illinois country" 
early in October. (?) Fort Chartres was evacuated by a small de- 
tachment of soldiers, twenty men, under the command of M. de 
St. Ange. They moved to St. Louis; and Captain Stirling, hav- 
ing under his command about one hundred men, a part of the forty- 
second regiment, took possession of Fort Chartres. 

1765. The stamp act, passed by the English Parliament, went 
into force on the 1st of November, 1765. It was repealed by an 
act of March 6, 1766. 

1765. Colonel George Croghan, an Indian agent, of the prov- 
ince of Pennsylvania, passed down the Ohio river, went to Vin- 
cennes, and afterwards visited the principal Indian villages on the 



332 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

borders of the Wabash river. Colonel Croghan made the follow- 
ing statement in reference to certain Indian tribes: 

Twightwees [Miamis], two hundred and fifty fighting men, re- 
side on the Miami river, near Fort Miami ; hunting ground where 
they reside. 

a Wayoughtanies, three hundred fighting men ; a Pyanke- 
shas, three hundred fighting men ; a Shockays, two hundred fight- 
ing men ; reside on the branches of the Ouabache, near Fort Ouit- 
anon; hunting grounds between Ouitanon and the Miamis. 

* Huskhuskeys, three hundred fighting men ; * Illinois, three 
hundred fighting men ; reside near the French settlements in the 
Illinois country ; hunting grounds about Lake Erie. 

|| Wayandotts, two hundred and fifty fighting men; || Ottawas, 
four hundred fighting men ; || Putawatimes, one hundred and fifty 
fighting men ; reside near Fort Detroit. 

|| Chippawas, two hundred fighting men ; || Ottawas, two hun- 
dred fighting men ; reside on Saganna creek, which empties into 
Lake Huron ; hunting grounds thereabouts. 

|| Chippawas, four hundred fighting men; || Ottawas, two hun- 
dred and sixty fighting men; reside near Michilimacinac ; hunting 
grounds on the north side of Lake Huron. 

|| Chippawas, four hundred fighting men ; reside near the en- 
trance of Lake Superior, and not far from Fort St. Mary's. 

|| Chippawas, || Mynonamies, || Shockays, five hundred and fifty 
fighting men ; reside near Fort Labay, on Lake Michigan ; hunt- 
ing grounds thereabouts. 

|| Putawatimes, one hundred and fifty fighting men; || Ottawas, 
one hundred and fifty fighting men ; reside near St. Joseph's; hunt- 
ing grounds thereabouts. 

f Kickapoos, fOuttagamies, fMusquatans, fMiscotins, f Outta- 
macks, fMusquakeys; in all four thousand fighting men; reside 
on Lake Michigan, and between it and the Mississippi; hunting 
grounds where they reside. 

a Connected with the Twightwees. 

* These two nations the English never had any trade or connection with. 
H Formerly connected with the French. 

t Never connected in trade or otherwise with the English. 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 333 

1765. "The present town of Pittsburg was laid out. It is 
built on the eastern bank of the Monongahela, about two hundred 
yards from Fort Pitt." [Imlay (1797), 488.] 

1765. A few white settlers resided at the mouth of Redstone 
creek, near the present site of Brownsville, Pennsylvania. 

1765. Total number of French families in the territory north- 
west of the Ohio (comprising the settlements about Detroit, those 
on and near the river Wabash, and the settlements in the vicinity 
of Fort Chartres) did not, probably, exceed six hundred. 

A memorial, without date, on file among the French archives 
at Paris refers to "the emigration to Louisiana of Canadian fami- 
lies in 1686 ; states that in 1699, Mr. d'Iberville arrived with 
another colony of Canadians, which was followed by other families 
headed by a Mr. Du Tessenet. The emigrants came by land, first 
ascending the St. Laurent to the Lake Erie, then ascending a small 
river emptying itself in that lake, to the Portage des Miamis; 
their effects being thence transported by the Indians to the river 
Miamis, where pirogues, out of a single tree, and large enough to 
contain thirty persons, were built for the voyage down the Missis- 
sippi, first descending the Oyo." [De Bow's Review, i. 525.] 

1765. October 7, a colonial congress met in New York, 
adopted a declaration of rights, a petition to the king, and a me- 
morial to the British Parliament. 

1765. A letter dated " Winchester, Virginia, April 30, 1765/' 
says : 

" The frontier inhabitants of this colony and Maryland are 
removing fast over the Allegheny mountains, in order to settle and 
live there. The two hunters who killed the two Indians near 
Pittsburg, some time ago, are so audacious as to boast of the fact 
and show the scalps publicly. What may not such proceedings 
produce?" [Pennsylvania Archives, 1760-1776, p. 217.] 

1766. In a letter dated "Fort Pitt, 26th May, 1766," and 
addressed to General Gage, the writer, Colonel George Croghan, 
says: 

" But if some measures are not speedily taken to remove those 



334 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

people settled on Redstone creek till a boundary can be properly- 
settled, as proposed, and the governors pursue vigorous measures 
to deter the frontier inhabitants from murdering Indians which pass 
to and from war against their natural enemies, the consequences 
may be dreadful and we involved in all the calamities of another 
general war." [Pennsylvania Colonial Records.] 

1766. On the 7th of September, 1766, the Rev. Charles Beatty, 
who was appointed by the synod of New York to visit the western 
frontiers, preached two sermons at Pittsburg. Mr. Beatty was 
one of the first regular Presbyterian missionaries to Western Penn- 
sylvania. [" Old Redstone" Presbytery, p. 115.] According to a 
statement which appears in the journal of Arthur Lee, there was 
not at Pittsburg, in 1784, a a priest of any persuasion, nor church, 
nor chapel." A letter written by the Rev. Dr. Patterson says: 
"Between 1780 and 1790, and chiefly in the latter part of these 
years, some of the few Presbyterian clergymen living west of the 
mountains, in Pennsylvania, were in the habit of giving instruc- 
tion in the languages and sciences to young men, whose object in 
their studies was the gospel ministry." [lb., p. 81, 327.] 

1766. May 22, in a communication addressed to the English 
Lords of Trade, Governor Fauquier, of Virginia, said : 

" In disobedience to all proclamations, in defiance of law, and 
without the least shadow of right to claim or defend their prop- 
erty, people are daily going out to settle beyond the Allegheny 
mountains." 

1766. Governor Francis Fauquier, of Virginia, in a letter 
addressed to the governor of Pennsylvania, on the 11th of De- 
cember, 1766, says: 

" I also issued a proclamation to recall them [the settlers who 
were moving westward over the Allegheny mountains], in which I 
told them they would not be protected, but exposed to the revenge 
of the Indians, as will appear by the proclamation, a copy of which 
I have inclosed to you, and which is the third I have issued on 
this affair ; but I find, with you, no regard is paid to proclama- 
tions * * * I have found, by experience, it is impossible to 
bring anybody to justice for the murder of an Indian, who takes 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 335 

shelter among our back inhabitants. It is among those people 
looked on as a meritorious action, and they are sure of being pro- 
tected." [Pennsylvania Colonial Records, ix. 350.] 

1766. November 1, Captain Jonathan Carver was at Lake 
Pepin. 

1766. Colonel James Smith and four companions visited the 
southern part of Kentucky, and northern part of Tennessee. 

1767. The Indian chief Pontiac assassinated "in the Illinois 
country." 

1767. John Finley, of North Carolina, visits Kentucky in 
company with a few companions. 

1768. About this time the Indian chief Tecumseh was born in 
a Shawanee village on the north side of Mad river, about six miles 
below the site of Springfield, Clark county, Ohio. 

1768. In November, 1768, the Six Nations of Indians granted 
to William Trent, Samuel Wharton, George Morgan, and others, a 
large tract of land lying principally between the Monongahela and 
Ohio rivers. This tract, to which the proprietors gave the name 
of Indiana, contaiued about three millions five hundred thousand (?) 
acres. [Imlay's Description of Western Territory ; Butler's Ken- 
tucky.] 

1768. Names of settlers at and near Redstone Old Fort, on 
the Monongahela river, on the 24th of March, 1768 : John Wise- 
man, Henry Prisser, William Linn, William Colvin, John Verval- 
son, Abraham Tygard, Thomas Brown, Richard Rogers, John 
Delong, Peter Young, George Martin, Thomas Down, Andrew 
Gudgeon, Philip Lute, James Crawford, John Peters, Henry 
Swats, Joseph McCleon, Jesse Martin, Adam Hatton, John Ver- 
val, Jr., James Waller, Thomas Douter, Captain Coburn, Michael 
Hooter, Andrew Linn, Gabriel Conn, John Martin, Hans Cack, 
Daniel McCay, Josias Crawford, Provence. 

1769. " John Wilkins, Esq., lieutenant-colonel of his maj- 
esty's eighteenth or royal regiment of Ireland, governor and com- 
mandant throughout the Illinois country," was at Fort Chartres on 
the 12th of April. 



336 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

1769. Lands in the neighborhood of Fort Pitt were surveyed 
for the proprietaries of Pennsylvania. 

1769. Daniel Boone and other hunters visited Kentucky. 
In an account of his adventures, written by himself, Boone says: 
" Many dark and sleepless nights have I spent, separated from the 
cheerful society of men, scorched by the summer's sun and pinched 
by the winter's cold, an instrument ordained to settle the wilder- 
ness." * * * " The buffaloes were more numerous than cattle 
in the settlements, browsing on the leaves of the cane or cropping 
the herbage on these extensive plains. We saw hundreds in a 
drove, and the numbers about the salt springs were amazing." 

1769. A settlement founded at the site of Uniontown, by 
Henry Beeson. 

1770. George "Washington visits the valley of the Ohio. Sev- 
eral persons from Virginia, Pennsylvania, and other North Amer- 
ican colonies, explored parts of this valley, and marked nearly all 
the valuable lands, " not only on the Redstone and other waters of 
the Monongahela, but along the Ohio, as low as the Little Kan- 
awha." [Washington's Journal of 1770.] 



PART X. 

PROGRESS OF PIONEER SETTLEMENTS WESTWARD OF THE 
ALLEGHENY MOUNTAINS. 

In 1750, about one hundred and twenty-eight years ago, the 
English colonies in North America contained a civilized popula- 
tion amounting to about one million and fifty thousand. At the 
same time the number of French colonists, including all their set- 
tlements in Canada, those planted in the regions lying westward of 
the Allegheny mountains, and those in different parts of Louis- 
iana, amounted to only about fifty-two thousand. 

The war in which the English forces under the command of 
General Edward Braddock were defeated, in 1755, on their march 
to the site of Fort Da Quesne, was commenced and carried on 
between Great Britain and France in order to settle their conflict- 
ing claims to vast regions lying westward of the Allegheny moun- 
tains. At the close of this war, France, by a treaty concluded in 
1763, ceded to Great Britain the province of Canada, and all that 
part of Louisiana which was situated east of the river Mississippi, 
and north of the thirty-first degree of north latitude. 

By the terms of a proclamation issued by the king of Great 
Britain, on the 7th of October, 1763, " all the lands and territories 
lying to the westward of the sources of the rivers which fall into 
the sea from the west and northwest," were reserved under " the 
sovereignty, protection and dominion " of the crown, for the use 
of the Indian tribes. All the subjects of Great Britain were 
strictly prohibited from making any settlements on the lands thus 

22 (337) 



338 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

set apart, westward of the Allegheny mountains, for the occupancy 
and use of the Indians. 

Some time before Canada was ceded to Great Britain, a French 
officer, the Marquis Du Quesne, held a secret conference at Mon- 
treal, with Indian deputies of the Six Nations, and reproached 
them for their willingness to surrender the control of the valley 
of the Ohio to the English rather than to the French. "Are you 
ignorant," he said to them, " of the difference between the king of 
France and the English ? Look at the forts which the king [of 
France] has built. You will find that, under the very shadow of 
their walls the beasts of the forest are hunted and slain; that 
they [the forts] are, in fact, fixed in the places most frequented by 
you, merely to gratify, more conveniently, your necessities. The 
English, on the contrary, no sooner occupy a post than the woods 
fall before their hands ; the earth is subjected to cultivation ; the 
game disappears, and your people are speedily reduced to combat 
with starvation." [Publications of Pennsylvania Historical Soci- 
ety.] 

No permanent English settlements were established on the 
western side of the Allegheny mountains before the year 1765. 
The names of the founders of early civilized settlements in these 
regions show that those pioneers or their ancestors were, with a few 
exceptions, emigrants from England, Ireland, Scotland, Germany, 
Holland and France. 

Among the first settlers at Pittsburg, at the head of the river 
Ohio, were the McKays, Ormsbys, Butlers, Craigs, Nevilles, 
O'Haras, Evanses, Eckleys, Kyles, Harveys, Worfs, Huffnagles, 
Mullalys, Cavanaghs, McKenzies, Lavoyers, Lorramies, Cleghorns, 
Weesners, McClellands, Pipers, Dennys, Wilkinses, etc. 

The McCullochs, Lefflers, Biggses, Swerengens, Spriggses, 
Shepherds, Mitchells, Millers and Kellers were among the early 
settlers at Wheeling, in West Virginia. 

The Boones, Kentons, Harrods, Andersons, McAfees, McCal- 
las, McClungs, Gordons, Guigers, McGarys, Lanes, Higginses. 
Montgomerys, Dunns, La Cassaignes, Beaubiens, Coburns and 
Joices were among the pioneer settlers of Kentucky. 

The Putnams, Nyswongers, Vansants, Battelles, Delanos, Bu- 
ells, McCullochs, Olivers, Wilburs, McGees, McClures and 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 339 

McGuffys were among the pioneers who settled at the mouth of 
the river Muskingum, and laid the foundations of the town of 
Marietta. 

The Gibsons, Beards, Bowmans, Cozbys, Bales, Meeks, Doaks, 
McNails, McTeers, McCullochs, Kellys, McConnells, McNutts, 
McFarlands, Hufacres, Seviers and Morells were among the pio- 
neer settlers of Tennessee. 

A list of prisoners among the northwestern Indian tribes, in 
1783, contains the names of Gray, Stewart, Fulks, McFall, Wil- 
liams, Dundas, Jones, Burke, Morgan, Wilson, Brown, Polke, 
Lech, Coyle, McCormick, Etilmaw, Malone, Delong, Yingordor, 
Shull, Newman, Smith, Doherty, Herfleur and Patterson. 

A list of the names of the pioneer settlers of the several towns 
and cities of the vast regions lying westward of the Allegheny 
mountains would, no doubt, show a similar remarkable mingling 
of the people of different races. 

The first settlers of the New England colonies were generally 
emigrants from old England ; yet, among the early settlers of Col- 
raine, in Massachusetts, were the McDowels, McClellans, McGees, 
McCowns, etc. 

In 1775, at the time of the battle of Concord, Massachusetts, 
the British forces burned " the house, barn and shop of Mrs. Lydia 
Mullikin." 

A writer in the North British Review says : 

"Remarkable as are many of the phenomena presented to us 
in the New World, the most remarkable, as it seems to us, is the 
extraordinary commingling of diverse races which is being accom- 
plished on its soil. Navigation has now so bridged the ocean that 
from every country in Europe settlers have reached the American 
shores, and railways have so facilitated locomotion by land, and so 
quickened the movements of social life, that these diverse peoples 
from Europe are shaken together and amalgamated in the New 
World till the original distinctions disappear and a new national 
type is formed." 

Between the beginning of the year 1765 and the close of the 
year 1799, different parties of that hardy and adventurous class of 
people who were called western pioneers founded settlements in 
the western parts of Virginia, in western Pennsylvania, in Ken- 



340 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

tucky, and in the territory of the United States northwest of the 
river Ohio. Settlements were established — 

At Redstone Old Fort, now Brownsville, Pennsylvania, in 
1765. 

At Wheeling, Virginia (now West Virginia), in 1770. 

At Harrod's Station, in Kentucky, in 1774. 

At the mouth of the Great Kanawha river, in Virginia, in 
1785. 

At Boonsborough, in Kentucky, in 1775. 

At the mouth of Big Beaver creek, in Pennsylvania, in 1776. 

At Bryant's Station (near the site of Lexington), in Kentucky, 
in 1779. 

At the site of Louisville, Kentucky, in 1779. 

A great number of settlements were established in the western 
wilderness, by pioneers, between the years 1780 and 1799. Of the 
principal towns which were founded by them within that period — 

Washington, Pennsylvania, was founded in 1782. 

Danville, Kentucky, in 1783. 

Limestone (now Maysville), Kentucky, in 1784. 

Washington, in Kentucky, in 1785. 

Frankfort, Kentucky, 1786. 

Marietta, at the mouth of the river Muskingum, in 1788. 

Charlestown (now Wellsburg), Virginia, was laid out in 1789. 

Cincinnati, in 1789. 

Paris, in Kentucky, 1789. 

Gallipolis, in Ohio, 1792. 

Shelbyville, Kentucky, in 1793. 

Dayton, in Ohio, in 1795. 

Cleveland, in 1796. 

Chillicothe, in 1796. 

Steubenville, in 1798. 

Zanesville, in 1799. 

Before the close of the revolutionary war, and after the capture 
of the posts of Kaskaskia and Vincennes by Colonel George Rog- 
ers Clark, emigrants in considerable numbers from the eastern 
states passed over the Allegheny mountains and founded pioneer 
settlements in the west. In the spring of 1780 three hundred 
" family boats " arrived at the falls of the river Ohio. 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. ' 341 

1770. Several persons from Virginia, Pennsylvania and other 
British provinces, explored and marked nearly all the valuable 
lands, " not only on the Redstone and other waters of the Monon- 
gahela, but along the Ohio as low as the Little Kanawha." [Wash- 
ington's Journal of 1770.] 

1770. Joseph Tomlinson, from Maryland, visited the Big 
Mound at Grave creek, and removed to that place in 1773. 

1770. The village of Pittsburg was composed of about twenty 
log houses, inhabited principally by Indian traders. The garrison 
of Fort Pitt consisted of two companies of royal Irish, commanded 
by Captain Edmonson. 

1770. March 5th, a fight took place between a number of the 
citizens of Boston and a party of British soldiers. Three citizens 
were killed and two severely wounded. The citizens retreated. 
The city bells were rung, and in the course of an hour a very large 
number of the inhabitants assembled in the streets. The excite- 
ment was subdued by Governor Hutchinson, who assured the peo- 
ple "that their wishes should be respected." [Lossing.] The 
affair was called the "Boston Massacre." 

1770. Settlements founded in the valley of Cheat river by 
Captain Parsons and others. 

1770. The site of Wheeling selected for a place of settlement, 
by Ebenezer Zane and others. Zane built a cabin, to which he 
brought his family in the fall of 1772. 

1770. Kaskaskia contained sixty-five families, exclusive of 
slaves, visitors and traders. An officer and twenty soldiers were 
stationed at the village. 

1770. A party of about thirty-five men, led by Colonel James 
Knox, started from "Holston, on Clinch river," and explored the 
middle and southern parts of Kentucky. These explorers were 
called the " Long Hunters." 

1771. Early in 1771 the governor of Pennsylvania appointed 
magistrates to act at Pittsburg. 

1771. Population of St. Louis, four hundred and fifteen whites 
and forty negroes or colored persons. 



342 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

1771. April 21st, a letter addressed to the governor of Penn- 
sylvania, says : " There is upwards of two thousand families set- 
tled on that [the western] side of the mountains. " 

1772. April 8th, General Gage issued a proclamation ad- 
dressed to the French inhabitants of the country on the borders of' 
the Wabash river, requiring them "to quit those countries in- 
stantly and without delay, and to retire, at their choice, into some 
of the colonies of his majesty, where they will be received and 
treated as the other subjects of his majesty." 

1773. Early in 1773 the troops were withdrawn from Fort 
Pitt, by order of General Gage, and the Assembly of Pennsyl- 
vania refused to maintain a garrison at that post. 

1773. Westmoreland county was laid out by Pennsylvania. 
The county included all the country claimed by Pennsylvania west 
of the Laurel hill. The first court held west of the Allegheny 
mountains was opened at Hannastown, the county seat of West- 
moreland, on the 13th of March, 1773. Hannastown was situated 
about thirty miles east of Pittsburg and about three miles north- 
east of the present town of Greensburg. 

1773. Purchase of lands from Indians by the Illinois Land 
Company. 

1773. White river, a branch of the Wabash, was regarded by 
the Indians as a good stream in which to trap beavers. 

1773. December 16, a number of men, disguised as Indians, 
went on board of vessels in Boston harbor, broke open boxes of 
tea, and threw the tea into the water. 

1773. Captain Thomas Bullitt and others made surveys of 
land at the falls of the Ohio and on the Kentucky river. 

1773. During the summer of 1773 Zebulon Herton, his 
nephew and John Parish, all Quakers, of Pennsylvania, visited 
the Indian towns on the Muskingum, held meetings and received 
friendly speeches from the Indians. The party returned by way 
of Pittsburg, Braddock's Field, Little Redstone, Laurel hill, 
More's tavern, etc. The journal of Mr. Herton, in referring to 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 343 

More's tavern, says : " The landlord was from home, and the 
landlady a proud and ill-natured woman, so that we had an un- 
pleasant time." [Dawson's Historical Magazine, February, 1870, 
p. 103.] 

1774. On the 2d of June, 1774, the British Parliament passed 
an act which extended the boundaries of the province of Quebec 
so as to include the territories now lying within the limits of the 
States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and Min- 
nesota. (?) 

1774. At a meeting held with a party of Indians at Pittsburg, 
t)n the 29th of June, 1774, there were present Captain Aston, 
Major McCullock, Captain Crawford, Captain Neville, Mr. V. 
Crawford, Mr. Edward Cook, Mr. John Stevenson, Captain Hoge- 
land, Mr. David Shepherd, Rev. Mr. Whiteaker, Mr. Joseph 
Wells, Mr. James Innis, Mr. iEneas Mackay, Mr. Joseph Simons, 
with a number of the inhabitants and traders. 

Indians present, Captain White Eyes, Weyandahila, Captain 
Johnny, with sundry other young men. 

Captain White Eyes gave an account of his efforts to preserve 
peace between the Indians and English, and delivered a friendly 
paper from the chiefs of the Delawares, addressed to George Crog- 
han, Alexander McKee and J. Conolly, Esquires, urging them 
to restrain the hostility of the whites. The Delaware chiefs whose 
names were signed to this paper were King Newcomer, White 
Eyes, Thomas McKee, Epaloined, Neoliga, Killbuck, William 
Anderson and Simon Girty. [American Archives (fourth series), 
vol. i. p. 545.] 

1774. Dr. John Conolly, acting under the authority of Gov- 
ernor Dunmore, attempted to establish the jurisdiction of Vir- 
ginia over Fort Pitt and the surrounding country. Dunmore 
claimed the country " as far eastward as Laurel hill." 

1774. May 24 (?), massacre of a small party of Indians by 
white men, at Baker's bottom, on the Ohio river, opposite the 
mouth of Yellow creek. 

1774. A letter from Governor John Penn to Arthur St. Clair, 



344 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

dated " Philadelphia, June 7, 1774," contains the following pass- 
age : 

" I am much concerned to find your [western] country in so- 
terrible a situation as you represent it, and think you have acted 
very wisely in entering into an association to raise men, which I 
hope will quiet the minds of the people and answer the purpose of 
keeping them from totally leaving the country." [St. Clair's 
Manuscripts in Ohio State Library.] 

1774. In a letter addressed to Colonel John Conolly, one of 
the Virginia magistrates at Pittsburg, dated June 20, 1774, Gov- 
ernor Dunmore said : 

" I would recommend it to all officers going out on parties 
[against hostile Indians] to make as many prisoners as they can of 
women and children ; and should you be so fortunate as to reduce 
those savages to sue for peace, I would not grant it to them on any 
terms till they were effectually chastised for their insolence, and 
then on no terms without bringing in six of their heads as hostages 
for their good behavior, and these to be relieved annually; and 
that they trade with us only for what they may want." 

1774. Massachusetts being what was called a charter colony in 
1774, complained of violations of the charter by the British Parlia- 
ment. The Virginia house of burgesses, in 1774, passed some res- 
olutions in which they implored the divine power " to give them 
one heart and one mind, firmly to oppose, by all just and proper 
means, every injury to the American rights." On the publication 
of these resolutions, the royal governor, Dunmore, dissolved the 
house of burgesses; but before the separation of the members, 
eighty-nine of them signed an agreement in which they declared 
" that an attack made on one of our sister colonies (alluding to Mas- 
sachusetts), to compel submission to arbitrary taxes, is an attack 
made on all British America, and threatens to ruin the rights of 
all, unless the united wisdom of the whole be applied." [Holmes' 
Annals, ii. 187.] 

1774. Several Indians killed by whites in the vicinity of 
Wheeling. About September 1, two friendly Delaware Indians 
were murdered in " cold blood" near Fort Pitt. [St. Clair Papers. J 



CHRONOLOGICAL KECOKDS. 345 

1774. By authority of Governor Dunrnore, Colonel Angus 
McDonald, who lived near Winchester, in the Shenandoah valley, 
led an expedition, consisting of about four hundred men, against 
Indians residing on the Muskingum river. He burned six vil- 
lages, killed six Indians, captured a few prisoners and destroyed 
about seventy acres of standing corn. 

1774. A letter from Arthur St. Clair to Governor Penn, 
dated " Ligonier, Pennsylvania, June 22, 1774," says: "Logan 
[the Indian chief] is returned with thirteen scalps and a prisoner, 
and says he will now listen to the chiefs. " Ligonier valley lies 
between the Laurel hill on the east and the Chestnut ridge on the 
west, and extends from the waters of the Youghiogheuy to the Con- 
emaugh. [Egle's Pennsylvania.] 

1774. October 10, a battle at the mouth of the Great Kanawha 
between about eleven hundred Virginians, under the command of 
Colonel Andrew Lewis, and a large body of Indians. The battle 
commenced about sunrise and lasted all day. At night the In- 
dians retreated across the river Ohio. The loss of the Virginians 
amounted to seventy-five killed and one hundred and forty 
wounded. 

1774. Governor Duumore, with a force of about one thousand 
men, descended the Ohio from Fort Pitt to the mouth of the 
Hockhocking river, where he built a small fortification, to which 
he gave the name of Fort Gower. 

1774. Governor Dunmore made a preliminary treaty of peace 
with the Shawanee Indians and their confederates. The terms of 
this treaty were agreed to at " Camp Charlotte," about eight miles 
from an Indian village that stood on the banks of the Scioto river. 
During the settlement of the terms of this treaty the chief Logan, 
in a private conversation with John Gibson, uttered the remark- 
able words which are known as the speech of the Indian chief 
Logan. " Camp Charlotte stood on the left bank of Sippo creek, 
about seven miles southeast of Circleville." [Bancroft, vii. 170.] 

1774. In October a cargo of tea, with the vessel which con- 
tained it, was destroyed by the owners at Annapolis, Maryland, to 
allay the excitement of the citizens of that place. 



,346 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

1774. Fort Fincastle built at the site of Wheeling. The 
name was changed to Fort Henry in 1776. 

1774. James Harrod built the first log cabin in Kentucky, at 
the place where Harrodsburg now stands. 

1774. A town to be laid out at the falls of the Ohio river, by 
John Campbell and John Conolly. They published the following 
advertisement : 

" The subscribers, patentees of land at the falls of the Ohio, 
hereby inform the public that they intend to lay out a town there, 
in the most convenient place. The lots to be eighty feet front and 
two hundred and forty deep. The number of lots that shall be 
laid off at first will depend on the number of applications. The 
purchase money on each lot to be four Spanish dollars, and one dol- 
lar per annum quit-rent forever. The purchaser to build within 
the space of two years from the first of December next, on each lot, 
a log house not less than sixteen feet square, with a stone or brick 
chimney, and, as, in that country, it will be necessary the first set- 
tlers should build compactly, the improvements must necessarily 
join each other. It is further proposed, for the convenience of the 
settlers, that an outlot of ten acres, contiguous to the town, shall 
be laid off for such as desire the same, at an easy rent on a long 
lease. 

"Attendance will be given by the patentees at Pittsburg till 
the middle of June, at which time one of them will set off to exe- 
cute the plan. The advantageous situation of that place, formed by 
nature, as a temporary magazine or repository to receive the pro- 
duce of the very extensive and fertile country on the Ohio and its 
branches, as well as the necessary merchandise suitable for the in- 
habitants that shall emigrate into that country (as boats of fifty 
tons may be navigated from New Orleans up to that town), is suffi- 
cient to recommend it; but when it is considered how liberal, nay, 
profuse, nature has been to it otherwise, in stocking it so abund- 
antly that the slightest industry may support the most numerous 
family with the greatest plenty, and amazing variety of fish, fowl 
and flesh; the fertility of the soil, and facility of cultivation, that 
fit it for producing commodities of great value with little labor; 
the wholesomeness of the waters and serenity of the air, which ren- 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 347 

der it healthy ; and when property may be so easily acquired, we 
may with certainty affirm that it will, in a short time, be equaled 
by few inland places on the American continent. 

"John Campbell, 

"John Conolly, 
"Williamsburg [Va.], April 7, 1774." 

[American Archives (fourth series), vol. i. p. 278.] 

1774. September 5th, first meeting of the Continental Con- 
gress. The Congress met in Carpenters' Hall, which was a brick 
building three stories high, that " stood in a court at the end of an 
alley leading from Chestnut street, between Third and Fourth 
streets," Philadelphia. [Watson's Annals.] 

1774. At a meeting of the officers of Governor Dunmore's 
army, at Fort Gower, at the mouth of Hockhocking river, on the 
5th of November, the following resolution was adopted : 

"Resolved, That we will bear the most faithful allegiance to 
his majesty King George III., whilst his majesty delights to reign 
over a brave and free people ; that we will, at the expense of life 
and everything dear and valuable, exert ourselves in support of the 
honor of his crown and the dignity of the British empire. But, 
as the love of liberty and attachment to the real interest and just 
rights of America outweigh every other consideration, we resolve 
that we will exert every power within us for the support of her 
just rights and privileges, not in any precipitous, riotous or tu- 
multuous manner, but when regularly called forth by the unani- 
mous voice of our countrymen." 

1774. In 1774 Washington proposed to import German, Irish 
or Scotch for the purpose of making settlements on the lands 
which he owned on the borders of the Kanawha and Ohio rivers. 
The imported persons were to be engaged, for a certain time, by 
" indentures " or contracts, which were to be regarded in no other 
light than as securities for reimbursing the expenses which were 
incurred in the importation of such settlers. The breaking out of 
the revolutionary war prevented the execution of this design. 
[Writings of Washington, ii. 384. 

Washington, at the time of his death, owned the tracts of land 
mentioned in the following statement: 



348 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

Near the mouth of the Great Kanawha, eighteen thousand two- 
hundred and sixty-six acres. 

At the mouth of Cole river, two thousand acres. 

Opposite the mouth of Cole river, two thousand nine hundred 
and fifty acres. 

At the Burning spring, one hundred and twenty-five acres. 

On the Little Miami river, three thousand and fifty-one acres. 

On Rough creek, Kentucky, five thousand acres. 

On the Ohio river, at Round bottom, five hundred and eighty- 
seven acres. 

On the Little Kanawha river, two thousand three hundred and 
fourteen acres. 

" Sixteen miles lower down," two thousand four hundred and 
forty-eight acres. 

Opposite Big Bent (?), four thousand three hundred and ninety- 
five acres. 

At the Great Meadows, two hundred and thirty-four acres. 

[Washington's Writings.] 

1775. A letter from Lord Dartmouth to Governor Penn, on the 
subject of the Continental Congress: 

" Whitehall, 4th January, 1775. 
" Sm : Certain persons, styling themselves delegates of several. 
of his majesty's colonies in America, having presumed, without his 
majesty's authority or consent, to assemble together at Philadel- 
phia, in the months of September and October last; and having 
thought fit, amongst other unwarrantable proceedings, to resolve 
that it will be necessary that another Congress should be held at 
the same place, on the 10th of May next, unless redress for certain 
pretended grievances be obtained before that time, and to recom- 
mend that all the colonies in North America should choose depu- 
ties to attend such Congress, I am commanded by the king to 
signify to you his majesty's pleasure that you do use your utmost 
endeavors to prevent any such appointment of any such deputies 
within the colony under your government, and that you do exhort 
all persons to desist from such an unjustifiable proceeding, which 
can not but be highly displeasing to the king. 

" I am, sir, your most obedient humble servant, 

" Dartmouth.'* 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 349 

1775. " To the inhabitants of Pennsylvania and Virginia, on 
the west side of the Laurel hill : 

" Friends and Countrymen : It gives us much concern to 
find that disturbances have arisen and still continue amongst you 
concerning the boundaries of our colonies. In the character in 
which we now address you it is unnecessary to inquire into the 
origin of those unhappy disputes, and it would be improper for us 
to express our approbation or censure on either side; but as repre- 
sentatives of two of the colonies, united among many others for 
the defense of the liberties of America, we think it our duty to 
remove, as far as lies in our power, every obstacle that may pre- 
vent her sons from co-operating as vigorously as they would wish 
to do towards the attainment of this great and important end. 
Influenced solely by this motive, our joint and earnest request to 
you is, that all animosities which have hitherto subsisted among 
you as inhabitants of distinct colonies may now give place to gen- 
erous and concurring efforts for the preservation of everything 
that can make our common country dear to us. 

" We are fully persuaded that you, as well as we, wish to see 
your differences terminate in this happy issue. For this desirable 
purpose we recommend it to you that all bodies of armed men, 
kept under either province, be dismissed ; that all those on either 
side who are in confinement or under bail for taking a part in the 
contest be discharged ; and that, until the dispute be decided, ev- 
ery person be permitted to retain his possessions unmolested. 

" By observing these directions the public tranquillity will be 
secured without injury to the titles on either side. The period, 
we flatter ourselves, will soon arrive when this unfortunate dispute, 
which has produced much mischief, and, as far as we can learn, no 
good, will be peaceably and constitutionally determined. 

"We are your friends and countrymen, 
" P. Henry. John Dickinson. 

" Richard Henry Lee. Geo. Ross. 

" Benjamin Harrison. B. Franklin. 

" Th. Jefferson. James Wilson. 

" Charles Humphreys. 

"Philadelphia, July 25, 1775." 



350 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

1775. Fort Kandolph built at the mouth of the Great Kan- 
awha river, by Virginia troops under the command of Captain 
Arbuckle. 

1775. Battle of Lexington, Massachusetts, April 19th. 

1775. Battle of Bunker Hill, June 17th. 

1775. Site of Maysville, Kentucky, visited by Simon Kenton. 
Settlement founded at this place in 1784. 

1775. Fort built by Daniel Boone, on the west bank of Ken- 
tucky river, at or near the site of Boonesborough. 

1775. Shepherd's Fort erected at the " forks of Wheeling 
creek." 

1775. An agent of the " Wabash Land Company" obtains, by 
purchase at Vincennes, large tracts of lands from a few chiefs of 
the Piankashaw tribe of Indians. 

1775. March 17th, purchase of large tracts of land from the 
Cherokee Indians, by Richard Henderson and company, at Wa- 
taga, on a branch of the river Holston. The tracts were called 
Transylvania, and were bounded as follows: 

"Beginning on the Ohio river at the mouth of the Cantucky, 
Chinoa, or what by the English is called Louisa river; from thence 
running up the said river and the most northerly branch to the 
head spring thereof; thence a southeast course to the top ridge of 
Powell's mountain ; thence westwardly along the ridge of Powell's 
mountain unto a point from which a northwest course will strike 
or hit the head spring, or the most southwardly branch of Cumber- 
land river; thence down the said river, including all its waters, to 
the Ohio river; thence up the said river to the beginning." 

In a legislative assembly held at Boonesborough in the colony 
of Transylvania, in 1775, the following declaration was unani- 
mously adopted on the 27th of May : 

" That there be perfect religious freedom and general toleration : 
provided, that the propagators of any doctrine or tenets evidently 
tending to the subversion of our laws, shall, for such conduct, be 
amenable to, and punished by, the civil courts." [American 
Archives (fourth series), vol. iv. p. 551.] In the same legislative 



CHKONOLOGICAL KECOKDS. 351 

body "a bill to prevent profane swearing and Sabbath breaking" 
was passed. 

1775. In September, 1775, the following resolutions were 
adopted at a meeting of the proprietors of Transylvania: 

" Resolved, That all surveys shall be made by the four cardinal 
points, except where rivers or mountains so intervene as to render 
it too inconvenient; and that in all cases where one survey comes 
within the distance of eighty poles from another their lines shall 
be joined without exception. And that every survey on navigable 
rivers shall extend two poles out for one pole along the river. 
And that each survey not on navigable rivers shall not be above 
one-third longer than its width." 

" Resolved, That the thanks of this company be presented to 
Colonel Richard Callaway for his spirited and manly behavior in 
behalf of the said company ; and that a present of six hundred and 
forty acres of land be made to his youngest son." 

" Resolved, * * * That no survey of land shall contain 
more than six hundred and forty acres, except in particular cases." 
[Hall's West, ii. 222, etc.] 

1775. A letter dated November 2, 1775, written by Silas 
Deane, and addressed to James Hogg, the agent of the Transyl- 
vania colony, contains the following passages: 

" Education must be attended to, as a matter of more impor- 
tance than all the laws which can be framed." * * * 

"A new colony, in the first place, should be divided into small 
townships or districts, each of which ought to be empowered to 
regulate their own internal affairs, and to have and enjoy every 
liberty and privilege not inconsistent with the good of the whole." 

" Though entire liberty of conscience ought everywhere to be 
allowed, yet the keeping up among a people a regular and stated 
course of divine worship has such beneficial effects that the encour- 
agement thereof deserves the particular attention of the magis- 
trates." [Hall's West, ii. 230.] 

1775. The inhabitants of Westmoreland county, Pennsyl- 
vania, held a general meeting at Hannastown, on the 16th of May, 
and formed an association. Among the resolutions adopted by the 
members of the association was the following: "We will coincide 



352 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

in any plan that may be formed for the defense of America in gen- 
eral or Pennsylvania in particular." A similar meeting was held 
at Pittsburg on the same day. [Craig's Olden Time.] 

1775. May 20, at a large meeting of citizens of Mechlenburg 
county, North Carolina, several resolutions were adopted, among 
which the most memorable are the following : 

" Resolved, That we, the citizens of Mechlenburg county, do 
hereby dissolve the political bands which have connected us to the 
mother country, and hereby absolve ourselves from all allegiance 
to the British crown, and abjure all political connection, contract, 
or association with that nation, who have wantonly trampled on 
our rights and liberties, and inhumanly shed the innocent blood of 
American patriots at Lexington." 

"Resolved, That we do hereby declare ourselves a free and 
independent people ; are, and of right ought to be, a sovereign and 
self-governing association, under the control of no other power 
than that of God and the general government of the Congress ; 
to the maintenance of which independence we solemnly pledge to 
each other our mutual co-operation, our lives, our fortunes and our 
most sacred honor." 

This declaration was signed by Abraham Alexander, chairman ; 
John McKnitt Alexander, secretary; Ephraim Brevard, Hezekiah 
J. Balch, John Phifer, James Harris, William Kennon, John 
Ford, Richard Barry, Henry Downe, Ezra Alexander, William 
Graham, John Queary, Hezekiah Alexander, Adam Alexander, 
Charles Alexander, Zaccheus Wilson, Waighstill Avery, Benjamin 
Patton, Matthew McClure, Neil Morrison, Robert Irvin, John 
Flennegin, David Reese, John Davidson, Richard Harris, and 
Thomas Polk, Sen. [See American Archives (fourth series), vol. 
ii. p. 857; Wheeler's History of North Carolina, i. 70.] 

1775. George Rogers Clark, of Albemarle county, Virginia, 
visited Kentucky. 

1776. April 29, committee of Congress instructed to prepare 
a plan of an expedition against Detroit. 

1776. In his Notes on Virginia, Jefferson 'says : "At the 
annual election in April, 1776, independence and the establishment 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 353 

of a new form of govern merit were not even yet the objects of the 
people at large." 

1776. June 12, bill of rights adopted by the Virginia conven- 
tion. 

1776. July 4, declaration of American Independence adopted 
by the Continental Congress. 

1776. Colonel George Morgan, of Pennsylvania, was ap- 
pointed Indian agent of the middle department, to have his head- 
quarters at Pittsburg. 

1776. McClelland fort, on Elkhorn, Kentucky, attacked by 
Indians, 

1776. Captain White Eyes, chief sachem of the Delawares, 
was on terms of friendship with the whites. 

1776. The General Assembly of Virginia established the 
county of Kentucky, December 7. 

1776. Settlement founded at the mouth of Big Beaver creek, 
Pennsylvania. 

1776. In Jefferson's Notes on Virginia (edition of 1853), p. 
136, the following statement appears: 

"In December, 1776, our circumstances being much distressed, 
it was proposed in the house of delegates to create a dictator, in- 
vested with every power, legislative, executive and judiciary, civil 
and military, of life and death, over our persons and over our 
properties; and in June, 1781,* again under calamity, the same 
proposition was repeated, and wanted a few votes only of being 



1777. General Edward Hand was ordered to proceed to Pitts- 
burg, and to organize a militia force of one thousand men at that 
place for the protection of the western frontiers. 

1777, Extract of a letter from Captain Samuel Meason, dated 

*" The delegates were then sitting at Staunton, and had voted that forty of their 
members should make a house. There were between forty and fifty present when 
4he motion for a dictator was made, and it was rejected by a majority of six only." 

23 



354 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

"Fort Henry [now Wheeling], June 8, 1777. 

" Yesterday, between the hours of five and six o'clock in the 
afternoon, as a few of Captain Van meter's company were fishing, 
about half a mile from this fort, up Wheeling creek, a certain 
Thomas McCleary and one Lanimore, being some distance from 
the others, were fired on by a party of Indians, to the number of six, 
seven or eight guns, of which the several persons near did not 
agree, as some say eight or upwards. Lanimore and others gave 
the alarm. I went to the place and found tracks, but difficult to 
ascertain the number of Indians. McCleary's shoe, being found, 
which he wore when he received the wound, we presently found 
him killed and scalped. He had run about three hundred yards 
from the creek. Night coming on by the time that we were satisfied 
of its being Indians, I proposed to set out this morning by day- 
light in pursuit, and have drawn out Captain Virgin's company of 
eight men, so that we amount to thirty men, well equipped, and do 
cross the river at this place, as they seemed by their tracks to bend 
their direction down the river, and purpose to pursue them to the 
last extremity and hazard. I set off at eight this morning, and 
flatter myself that you will not disapprove our proceeding, but call 
on me if any occasion should require, and as I may not return to 
the ensuing council at Catfish, I take this opportunity to return 
your honor the strength of my company, which consists of fifty 
men, of which forty-five are in good order and furnished for going 
on any emergency and expedition that may be necessary. 

" I am, with great respect, 

" Your honor's most obedient and humble servant, 

"Sam'l Meason." 

Directed : Brigadier-General Hand. [Pennsylvania Archives^ 
445.] 

1777. The Shawanee chief Cornstalk was murdered by white 
men near Fort Randolph, at the mouth of the Great Kanawha 
river. 

1777. Edward Abbott, a British officer in command of Vin- 
cennes, etc., issued a proclamation requiring the French inhabit- 
ants on the Wabash to take the oath of allegiance to the government 
of Great Britain. 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 355 

1777. Logan's Station, in Kentucky, was attacked by Indians 
in May. 

1777. In Kentucky the Indians made unsuccessful attacks on 
Harrodsburg and Boonesborough. The attacks were made in the 
spring. 

1777. The following proclamation was issued by the British 
lieutenant-governor and superintendant at Detroit, and distributed 
by hostile Indians in the settlements in Westmoreland county, Penn- 
sylvania : 

"Detroit, June 24, 1777. 

"By virtue of the power and authority to me given by his ex- 
cellency Sir Guy Carlton, Knight of the Bath, governor of the 
province of Quebec, general and commander-in-chief, etc. 

"I assure all such as are inclined to withdraw themselves from 
the tyranny and oppression of the rebel committees and take refuge 
in this settlement, or any of the posts commanded by his majesty's 
officers, shall be humanely treated, shall be lodged and victualled, 
and such as are officers in arms, and shall use them in defense of his 
majesty against rebels and traitors till the extinction of this rebel- 
lion, shall receive pay adequate to their former stations in the 
rebel service, and all common men who shall serve during that 
period shall receive his majesty's bounty of two hundred acres of 
land. 

"Given under my hand and seal, 

"Henry Hamilton, 
" Lieutenant-Governor and Superintendent." 

1777. Extract of a letter dated November 4, 1777, from Col- 
onel Archibald Lochry, county lieutenant of Westmoreland county, 
Pennsylvania, to " his excellency Thomas Wharton, president of 
the executive council of Pennsylvania : " 

"The distressed situation of our county is such that we have no 
prospect but desolation and destruction. The whole country on 
the north side of the road from the Allegheny mountains to the 
river [Ohio] is all kept close in forts, and can get no assistance 
from their plantations. They have made application to us to be 
put under pay and receive rations. " 



356 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

1777. In September a session of court was held in Kentucky, 
at Harrodsburg. 

1777. In December George Rogers Clark submitted to Gov- 
ernor Henry, of Virginia, a plan for the capture of the British 
posts at Kaskaskia, Vincennes, etc. 

1777. September 26 and 27 (?) a large body of Indians made 
desperate but unsuccessful efforts to take Fort Henry, which stood 
at the site of Wheeling, and was garrisoned by about forty men. 
under the command of Colonel Shepherd. The garrison was rein- 
forced by a small number of pioneer settlers early on the second 
day of the attack. The Indians, after losing from sixty to one 
hundred warriors, retired from the neighborhood of the fort. It 
is said that the loss of the whites amounted to " twenty-six killed 
and four or five wounded." Elizabeth Zane, with remarkable 
courage, and at the risk of her life, in view of the Indians, went 
from the fort to a house about sixty yards distant, found a keg of 
powder, and carried it into the fort. [See Howe's Virginia, p. 
413.] About this time Samuel McColloch, being pursued by In- 
dians, made an extraordinary leap, on horseback, down a precipice 
in the vicinity of Wheeling. 

1778. In the month of January, the Indians captured Daniel 
Boone and twenty-seven of his companions, at the Blue Licks, in 
Kentucky. 

1778. On the 6th of February, 1778, France acknowledged 
the independence of the United States of America, and concluded 
a treaty of amity and commerce, and a treaty of alliance with the 
new republic. 

1778. May 6, St. Louis attacked by a party of Indians com- 
posed of different tribes. About twenty white people were killed. 
[Hall.](?) 

1778. Treaty of alliance concluded with some of the Dela- 
ware Indians at Pittsburg. (?) 

1778. Fort Mcintosh, named after General Lachlin Mcin- 
tosh, was completed. It stood on the right bank of the Ohio 
river, below the mouth of Big Beaver creek, about thirty miles 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 357 

below Pittsburg. The fort had four bastions, and six pieces of 
artillery. The work of building this fort was commenced in 1776. 

1778. Colonel George Rogers Clark received from Governor 
Henry, of Virginia, a letter of secret instructions in reference to 
leading an expedition against the British posts in the Illinois coun- 
try. The following is a copy of this letter : 

" Virginia, Set. In Council, ) 

Williamsburg, January 2, 1778. / 

" Lieut.-Colonel George Rogers Clark : You are to pro- 
ceed, with all convenient speed, to raise seven companies of sol- 
diers, to consist of fifty men each, officered in the usual manner 
and armed most properly for the enterprize, and with this force 
attack the British post at Kaskaskia. 

u It is conjectured that there are many pieces of cannon, and 
military stores to considerable amount at that place, the taking and 
preservation of which would be a valuable acquisition to the State. 
If you are so fortunate, therefore, as to succeed in your expectation, 
you will take every possible measure to secure the artillery and 
stores and whatever may advantage the state. 

"For the transportation of the troops, provisions, etc., down 
the Ohio, you are to apply to the commanding officer at Fort Pitt 
for boats; and during the whole transaction you are to take espe- 
cial care to keep the true destination of your force secret. Its suc- 
cess depends upon this. Orders are therefore given to Captain 
Smith to secure the two men from Kaskaskia. Similar conduct 
will be proper in similar cases. 

" It is earnestly desired that you show humanity to such Brit- 
ish subjects and other persons as fall into your hands. If the 
white inhabitants at that post and the neighborhood will give 
undoubted evidence of their attachment to this state (for it is cer- 
tain they live within its limits) by taking the test prescribed by 
law and by every other way and means in their power, let them be 
treated as fellow-citizens, and their persons and property duly 
secured. Assistance and protection against all enemies whatever 
shall be afforded them, and the commonwealth of Virginia is 
pledged to accomplish it. But if these people will not accede to 
these reasonable demands they must feel the miseries of war, 



358 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

under the direction of that humanity that has hitherto distinguished 
Americans, and which it is expected you will ever consider as the 
rule of your conduct, and from which you are in no instance to 
depart. 

"The corps you are to command are to receive the pay and 
allowance of militia, and to act under the laws and regulations of 
this state now in force as militia. The inhabitants at this post 
will be informed by you that in case they accede to the offers of 
becoming citizens of this commonwealth, a proper garrison will be 
maintained among them, and every attention bestowed to render 
their commerce beneficial, the fairest prospects being opened to the 
dominions of both France and Spain. 

" It is in contemplation to establish a post near the mouth of 
Ohio. Cannon will be wanted to fortify it. Part of those at Kas- 
kaskia will be easily brought thither, or otherwise secured as cir- 
cumstances will make necessary. 

"You are to apply to General Hand for powder and lead neces- 
sary for this expedition. If he can't supply it, the person who has 
that which Captain Lynn brought from Orleans can. Lead was 
sent to Hampshire by my orders, and that may be delivered you. 

" Wishing you success, I am, sir, your humble servant, 

"P. Henry." 

1778. Lieutenant-Governor Hamilton, British commandant at 
Detroit, invites colonists to settle at Vincennes, Sandusky and at 
the head of the Maumee river. 

1778. In the month of July, Boonesborough, Kentucky, was 
besieged by a large body of Indians — about four hundred — for 
thirteen days. 

1778. (?) Simon Girty, who had acted as an interpreter for the 
United States, fled from Pittsburg and joined the Indians. His 
brother, James Girty, also deserted the American cause and be- 
came an Indian partizan. 

1778. Fort Laurens built by General Mcintosh, on the Tus- 
carawas river, below the mouth of Sandy creek, and garrisoned by 
one hundred and fifty men under the command of Colonel John 
Gibson. The fort " was built of well-hewn logs, with four bastions. 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 359 

Its figure was an irregular square, the face to the river being longer 
than the side to the land. It is equal to a square of about fifty 
yards, is well built and strong against musketry," [Arthur Lee's 
Journal.] 

1778. In June, 1778, the Indians engaged in carrying on war 
against the frontier settlers of the United States were " the Senecas, 
Cayugas, Mingoes, Wyandots in general, a majority of the Onon- 
dagas, and some few of the Ottawas, Chippewas, Shawanees and 
Delawares acting contrary to the voice of their nations, amounting 
in all to about sixteen hundred warriors/' [Journal of Congress, 
June 11, 1778.] 

1778. In July, massacre of white settlers at Wyoming, Penn- 
sylvania. 

1778. Colonel George Rogers Clark, having made some slight 
fortifications on Corn Island, at the falls of the Ohio, started from 
that place, on the 24th of June, on his expedition against Kaskas- 
kia, Vincennes and other posts in "the Illinois country." 

"A memoir," written by Clark, "at the united desire of Pres- 
idents Jefferson and Madison," contains the following very inter- 
esting statements in reference to his memorable expedition : 

"On the [24th] of June, 1778, we left our little island and run 
about a mile up the river, in order to gain the main channel; and 
shot the falls at the very moment of the sun being in a great 
eclipse, which caused various conjectures among the superstitious. 
As I knew that spies were kept on the river, below the towns of 
the Illinois, I had resolved to march part of the way by land ; and 
of course left the whole of our baggage, except as much as would 
equip us in the Indian mode. The whole of our force, after leav- 
ing such as was judged not competent to the expected fatigue, con- 
sisted only of four companies, commanded by Captains John Mont- 
gomery, Joseph Bowman, Leonard Helms and William Harrod. 
My force being so small to what I expected, owing to the various 
circumstances already mentioned, I found it necessary to alter my 
plans of operation. As Post Vincennes, at this time, was a town 
of considerable force, consisting of near four hundred militia, with 
an Indian town adjoining, and great numbers continually in the 
neighborhood, and in the scale of Indian affairs of more impor- 



360 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

tance than any other, I had thought of attacking it first, but now 
found that I could by no means venture near it. I resolved to 
begin my career in the Illinois, where there was more inhabitants, 
but scattered in different villages, and less danger of being imme- 
diately overpowered by the Indians; in case of necessity we could 
probably make our retreat to the Spanish side of the Mississippi j 
but if successful, we might pave our way to the possession of Post 
Vincennes. 

" I had fully acquainted myself that the French inhabitants in 
those western settlements had great influence among the Indians in 
general, and were more beloved by them than any other Eu- 
ropeans — that their commercial intercourse was universal through- 
out the western and northwestern countries — and that the govern- 
ing interest on the lakes was mostly in the hands of the English, 
who were not much beloved by them. These and many other ideas 
similar thereto caused me to resolve, if possible, to strengthen 
myself by such train of conduct as might probably attach the 
French inhabitants to our interest and give us influence at a greater 
distance than the country we were aiming for. 

# # # a Fortunately I had just received a letter from 
Colonel Campbell, dated Pittsburg, informing me of the contents 
of the treaties between France and America. As I intended to 
leave the Ohio at Fort Massac, three leagues below the Tennessee, 
I landed on a small island in the month of that river, in order to 
prepare for the march." * * * "Having everything prepared, 
we moved down to a little gully, a small distance above Massac, in 
which we concealed our boats, and set out in a northwest course. 
The weather was favorable. In some parts water was scarce, 
as well as game. Of course we suffered drought and hunger, but 
not to excess. On the third day John Saunders, our principal 
guide, appeared confused, and we soon discovered that he was to- 
tally lost, without there was some other cause of his present con- 
duct. I asked him various questions, and from his answers I 
could scarcely determine what to think of him — whether or not 
that he was lost or that he wished to deceive us. * * * The 
cry of the whole detachment was that he was a traitor. He beg- 
ged that he might be suffered to go some distance into a plain that 
was in full view, to try to make some discovery whether or not he 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 362 

was right. I told him he might go, but that I was suspicious of 
him from his conduct; that, from the first day of his being em- 
ployed, he always said he knew the way well; that there was now 
a different appearance; that I saw the nature of the country was 
such that a person once acquainted with it could not, in a short 
time, forget it; that a few men should go with him to prevent his 
escape ; and that if he did not discover and take us into the hunt- 
ers' road that led from the east into Kaskaskia, which he had fre- 
quently described, I would have him immediately put to death, 
which I was determined to have done ; but, after a search of an 
hour or two, he came to a place that he knew perfectly, and we 
discovered fhat the poor fellow had been, as they call it, bewil- 
dered. 

" On the 4th of July, in the evening, we got within a few miles 
of the town, where we lay until near dark, keeping spies ahead, 
after which we commenced our march, and took possession of a 
house wherein a large family lived, on the bank of the Kaskaskia 
river, about three-quarters of a mile above the town. Here we 
were informed that the people, a few days before, were under arms, 
but had concluded that the cause of the alarm was without founda- 
tion; and that at that time there was a great number of men in 
town, but that the Indians had generally left it, and at present ail 
was quiet. We soon procured a sufficiency of vessels, the more in 
ease to convey us across the river. * * * With one of the 
divisions I marched to the fort, and ordered the other two into dif- 
ferent quarters of the town. If I met with no resistance, at a cer- 
tain signal a general shout was to be given, and certain parts were 
to be immediately possessed ; and the men of each detachment who 
could speak the French language were to run through every street 
and proclaim what had happened, and inform the inhabitants that 
every person who appeared in the streets would be shot down. 
This disposition had its desired effect. In a very little time we 
had complete possession, and every avenue was guarded to prevent 
any escape, to give the alarm to the other villages in case of oppo- 
sition. Various orders had been issued not worth mentioning. I 
don't suppose greater silence ever reigned among the inhabitants 
of a place than did at this at present ; not a person to be seen, not 
a word to be heard from them for some time ; but, designedly, the 



362 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

greatest noise kept up by our troops through every quarter of the 
town, and patrols continually the whole night round it, as inter- 
cepting any information was a capital object; and in about two 
hours the whole of the inhabitants were disarmed and informed 
that if one was taken attempting to make his escape he should be 
immediately put to death." 

Early on the morning of the 5th of July, a few of the princi- 
pal residents of Kaskaskia were arrested and "put in irons." 
Soon afterward a small number of aged inhabitants of the place, 
accompanied by their priest, M. Gibault, visited the headquarters 
of Clark, and were received with kindness. He told them that, 
as the king of France had united his arms with those of America, 
the war would not continue long; but that the inhabitants of Kas- 
kaskia were a at liberty to take which side they pleased, without 
the least danger to either their property or families." " And now," 
said Clark, " to prove my sincerity, you will please inform your 
fellow-citizens that they are quite at liberty to conduct themselves 
as usual, without the least apprehension." 

The news of the treaty of alliance between France and the 
United States, and the influence of the magnanimous conduct of 
Clark, induced the French villagers to take the oath of allegiance 
to the state of Virginia. Their arms were restored to them, and a 
volunteer company of French militia joined a detachment under 
Captain Bowman, when that officer was dispatched to take posses- 
sion of Cahokia. The inhabitants of this small village readily 
took the oath of allegiance to Virginia. 

The memoir of Clark proceeds: "Post Vincennes never being 
out of my mind, and from some things that I had learned, I had 
some reason to suspect that Mr. Gibault, the priest, was inclined 
to the American interest previous to our arrival in the country. 
He had great influence over the people at this period, and Post 
Vincennes was under his jurisdiction. I made no doubt of his 
integrity to us. I sent for him, and had a long conference with 
him on the subject of Post Vincennes. In answer to all my 
queries he informed me that he did not think it worth my while 
to cause any military preparation to be made at the falls of the 
Ohio for the attack of Post Vincennes, although the place was 
strong and a great number of Indians in its neighborhood, who, to 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 363 

his knowledge, were generally at war; that Governor Abbott had, 
a few weeks before, left the place on some business to Detroit ; 
that he expected that when the inhabitants were fully acquainted 
with what had passed at the Illinois, and the present happiness of 
their friends, and made fully acquainted with the nature of the 
war, that their sentiments would greatly change ; that he knew 
that his appearance there would have great weight, even among 
the savages; that if it was agreeable to me he would take this 
business on himself, and had no doubt of his being able to bring 
that place over to the American interest without my being at the 
trouble of marching against it; that his business being altogether 
spiritual, he wished that another person might be charged with the 
temporal part of the embassy, but that he would privately direct 
the whole; and he named Dr. Lafont as his associate. 

" This was perfectly agreeable to what I had been secretly aim- 
ing at for some days. The plan was immediately settled, and the 
two doctors, with thjeir intended retinue, among whom I had a spy, 
set about preparing for their journey, and set out on the 14th of 
July, with an address to the inhabitants of Post Vincennes, au- 
thorizing them to garrison their own town themselves, which would 
convince them of the great confidence we put in them, etc. All 
this had its desired effect. Mr. Gibault and his party arrived safe, 
and, after their spending a day or two in explaining matters to the 
people, they universally acceded to the proposal (except a few emis- 
saries left by Mr. Abbott, who immediately left the country) and 
went in a body to the church, where the oath of allegiance was 
administered to them in the most solemn manner. An officer was 
elected, the fort immediately [garrisoned], and the American flag 
displayed, to the astonishment of the Indians, and everything set- 
tled far beyond our most sanguine hopes. The people here imme- 
diately began to put on a new face, and to talk in a different style, 
and to act as perfect freemen. With a garrison of their own, with 
the United States at their elbow, their language to the Indians 
was immediately altered. They began as citizens of the United 
States, and informed the Indians that their old father, the king of 
France, was come to life again, and was mad at them for fighting 
for the English ; that they would advise them to make peace with 
the Americans as soon as they could, otherwise they might expect 



364 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

the land to be very bloody, etc. The Indians began to think seri- 
ously. Throughout the country this was now the kind of language 
they generally got from their ancient friends of the Wabash and 
Illinois. Through the means of their correspondence spreading: 
among the nations, our batteries began now to play in a proper 
channel. Mr. Gibault and party, accompanied by several gentle- 
men of Post Vincennes, returned to Kaskaskia, about the 1st of 
August, with the joyful news." 

Referring to his conditiion at this time, General Clark, in his 
Memoir, says: "I was exceedingly engaged in regulating things 
in the Illinois. The reduction of these posts was the period of the 
enlistment of our troops. I was at a great loss at this time to de- 
termine how to act, and how far I might venture to strain my au- 
thority. My instructions were silent on many important points, 
as it was impossible to foresee the events that would take place. 
To abandon the country and all the prospects that opened to our 
view in the Indian department at this time, for the want of in- 
struction in certain cases, I thought would amount to a reflection 
on government, as having no confidence in me. I resolved to 
usurp all the authority necessary to carry my points. I had the 
greater part of our [troops] reenlisted on a different establishment 
— commissioned French officers in the country to command a 
company of the young inhabitants ; established a garrison at Ca- 
hokia, commanded by Captain Bowman, and another at Kaskaskia, 
commanded by Captain Williams. Post Vincennes remained in 
the situation as mentioned. Colonel William Linn, who had ac- 
companied us a volunteer, took charge of a party that was to be 
discharged on their arrival at the falls, and orders were sent for 
the removal of that post to the main-land. Captain John Mont- 
gomery was dispatched to government with letters. * * * I 
again turned my attention to Post Vincennes. I plainly saw that 
it would be highly necessary to have an American officer at that 
post. Captain Leonard Helm appeared calculated to answer my 
purpose; he was past the meridian of life, and a good deal ac- 
quainted with the Indian [disposition]. I sent him to command 
at that post, and also appointed him agent for Indian affairs in the 
department of the Wabash. * * * About the middle of August 
he set out to take possession of his new command. 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 365 

"An Indian chief called the Tobacco's Son, a Piankeshaw, at 
this time resided in a village adjoining Post Yincennes. This man 
was called by the Indians 'The Grand Door to the Wabash/ and 
as nothing of consequence was to be undertaken by the league on 
the Wabash without his assent, I discovered that to win him was 
an object of signal importance. I sent him a spirited compliment 
by Mr. Gibauit; he returned it. I now, by Captain Helm, touched 
him on the same spring that I had done the inhabitants, and sent 
a speech, with a belt of wampum, directing Captain Helm how to 
manage if the chief was pacifically inclined or otherwise. The 
eaptain arrived safe at Post Vincennes, and was received with ac- 
clamations by the people. After the usual ceremony was over, he 
sent for the Grand Door and delivered my letter to him. After 
having it read, he informed the captain that he was happy to see 
him, one of the Big Knife chiefs, in this town — it was here he had 
joined the English against him, but he confessed that he always 
thought that they looked gloomy; that as the contents of the letter 
was a matter of great moment, he could not give an answer for 
some time ; that he must collect his counselors on the subject; and 
was in hopes the captain would be patient. In short, he put on all 
the courtly dignity that he was master of, and Captain Helm, fol- 
lowing his example, it was several days before this business was 
finished, as the whole proceeding was very ceremonious. At 
length the captain was invited to the Indian council and informed 
by the Tobacco that they had maturely considered the case in hand 
and had got the nature of the war between the English and us ex- 
plained to their satisfaction ; that, as we spoke the same language, 
and appeared to be the same people, he always thought that he was 
in the dark as to the truth of it; but now the sky was cleared up; 
that he found that the Big Knife was in the right; that perhaps, if 
the English conquered, they would serve them in the same manner 
that they intended to serve us; that his ideas were quite changed; 
and that he would tell all the red people on the Wabash to bloody 
the land no more for the English. He jumped up, struck his 
breast, called himself a man and a warrior, said that he was now a 
Big Knife, and took Captain Helm by the hand. His example 
was followed by all present, and the evening was spent in merri- 
ment. Thus ended this valuable negotiation, and the saving of 



366 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

much blood. * * * In a short time almost the whole of the 
various tribes of the different nations on the Wabash, as high as 
the Ouiatenon, came to Post Yincennes and followed the example 
of the Grand Door chief, and as expresses were continually passing 
between Captain Helm and myself the whole time of these treaties, 
the business was settled perfectly to my satisfaction, and greatly to 
the advantage of the public. The British interest daily lost ground 
in this quarter, and in a short time our influence reached the In- 
dians on the river St. Joseph and the border of Lake Michigan. 
The French gentlemen at the different posts that we now had pos- 
session of engaged warmly in our interest. They appeared to vie 
with each other in promoting the business, and through the means 
of their correspondence, trading among the Indians and otherwise, 
in a short time the Indians of the various tribes inhabiting the re- 
gion of Illinois, came in great numbers to Cahokia, in order to 
make treaties of peace with us. From the information they gen- 
erally got from the French gentlemen (whom they implicitly be- 
lieved) respecting us, they were truly alarmed ; and consequently 
we were visited by the greater part of them, without any invita- 
tion from us. Of course we had greatly the advantage, in making 
use of such language as suited our [interest]. Those treaties, 
which commenced about the last of August and continued between 
three and four weeks, were probably conducted in a way different 
from any other known in America at that time. I had been al- 
ways convinced that our general conduct with the Indians was 
wrong ; that inviting them to treaties was considered by them in a 
different manner to what we expected, and imputed by them to 
fear, and that giving them great presents confirmed it. I resolved 
to guard against this, and I took good pains to make myself ac- 
quainted fully with the French and Spanish methods of treating 
Indians, and with the manners, genius and disposition of the In- 
dians in general. As in this quarter they had not yet been spoiled 
by us, I was resolved that they should not be. I began the busi- 
ness fully prepared, having copies of the British treaties." 

At the first great council, which was opened at Cahokia, an 
Indian chief, with a belt of peace in his hand, advanced to the 
table at which Colonel Clark was sitting; another chief, bearing 
the sacred pipe of the tribe, went forward to the table; and a 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 367 

third chief then advanced with fire to kindle the pipe. When the 
pipe was lighted it was figuratively presented to the heavens, then 
to the earth, and then to all the good spirits; thus invoking the 
heavens, the earth, and all the good spirits to witness what was 
about to be done. After the observance of these forms, the pipe 
was presented to Clark, and afterward to every person present. 
An Indian speaker then addressed the Indians as follows: 

" Warriors, you ought to be thankful that the Great Spirit has 
taken pity on you, and cleared the sky, and opened your ears and 
hearts, so that you may hear the truth. We have been deceived 
by bad birds flying through the land; but we will take up the 
bloody hatchet no more against the Big Knife ; and we hope, as the 
Great Spirit has brought us together for good, as he is good, that 
we may be received as friends, and that the belt of peace may take 
the place of the bloody belt." 

" I informed them," says Clark, u that I had paid attention to 
what they had said, and that on the next day I would give them 
an answer, when I hoped the ears and hearts of all people would 
be open to receive the truth which should be spoken without de- 
ception. I advised them to keep themselves prepared for the 
result of this day, on which perhaps their very existence as a 
nation depended, etc., and dismissed them — not suffering any of 
our people to shake hands with them, as peace was not yet con- 
cluded — telling them it was time enough to give the hand when 
the heart could be given also. They replied that ' such sentiments 
were like men who had but one heart, and did not speak with a 
double tongue.' The next day I delivered them the following 
speech : 

" Men and warriors, pay attention to my words. You in- 
formed me yesterday that the Great Spirit had brought us to- 
gether, and that you hoped, as he was good, that it would be for 
good. I have also the same hope, and expect that each party will 
strictly adhere to whatever may be agreed upon — whether it be 
peace or war — and henceforward prove ourselves worthy of the 
attention of the Great Spirit. I am a man and a warrior, not a 
counselor. I carry war in my right hand, and in my left peace. I 
am sent by the great council of the Big Knife and their friends to 
take possession of all the towns possessed by the English in this coun- 



368 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

try, and to watch the motions of the red people ; to bloody the paths 
of those who attempt to stop the course of the river, but to clear 
the roads from us to those who desire to be in peace, that the wo- 
men and children may walk in them without meeting anything to 
strike their feet against. I am ordered to call upon the Great Fire 
for warriors enough to darken the land, and that the red people 
may hear no sound but of birds who live on blood. I know there 
is a mist before your eyes. I will dispel the clouds, that you may 
clearly see the cause of the war between the Big Knife and the 
English ; then you may judge for yourselves which party is in the 
right ; and if you are warriors, as you profess to be, prove it by 
adhering faithfully to the party which you shall believe to be enti 
tied to your friendship, and do not show yourselves to be squaws. 
" The Big Knives are very much like the red people; they 
don't know how to make blankets and powder and cloth. They 
buy these things from the English, from whom they are sprung. 
They live by making corn, hunting and trade, as you and your 
neighbors the French do. But the Big Knives, daily getting 
more numerous, like the trees in the woods, the land became poor 
and hunting scarce; and having but little to trade with, the women 
began to cry at seeing their children naked, and tried to learn how 
to make clothes for themselves. They soon made blankets for 
their husbands and children, and the men learned to make guns 
and powder. In this way we did not want to buy so much from 
the English. They then got mad with us, and sent strong garri- 
sons through our country, as you see they have done among you 
on the lakes and among the French. They would not let our 
women spin, nor our men make powder, nor let us trade with any- 
body else. The English said we should buy everything from 
them, and, since we had got saucy, we should give two bucks for a 
blanket which we used to get for one — we should do as they 
pleased; and they killed some of our people to make the rest fear 
them. This is the truth and the real cause of the war between the 
English and us, which did not take place for some time after this 
treatment. 

" But our women became cold and hungry and continued to 
cry. Our young men got lost for want of counsel to put them in 
the right path. The whole land was dark. The old men held 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 369 

•down their heads for shame, because they could not see the sun, 
and thus there was mourning for many years over the land. At 
last the Great Spirit took pity on us, and kindled a great council 
fire that never goes out, at a place called Philadelphia. He then 
stuck down a post and put a war tomahawk by it, and went away. 
The sun immediately broke out — the sky was blue again — and the 
old men held up their heads and assembled at the fire. They took 
up the hatchet, sharpened it, and put it into the hands of our 
young men, ordering them to strike the English as long as they 
could find one on this side of the great waters. The young men 
immediately struck the war post, and blood was shed. In this 
way the war began, and the English were driven from one place to 
another, until they got weak, and then they hired you red people 
to fight for them. The Great Spirit got angry at this, and caused 
your old father, the French king, and other great nations, to join 
the Big Knives, and fight with them against all their enemies. So 
the English have become like deer in the woods, and you may see 
that it is the Great Spirit that has caused your waters to be trou- 
bled because you have fought for the people he was mad with. If 
your women and children should now cry you must blame your- 
selves for it, and not the Big Knives. 

"You can now judge who is in the right. I have already told 
you who I am. Here is a bloody belt and a white one — take 
which you please. Behave like men, and don't let your being sur- 
rounded by the Big Knives cause you to take up the one belt with 
your hands, while your hearts take up the other. If you take the 
bloody path you shall leave the town in safety, and may go and 
join your friends, the English. We will then try, like warriors, 
who can put the most stumbling-blocks in each other's way, and 
keep our clothes longest stained with blood. If, on the other hand, 
you should take the path of peace, and be received as brothers 
to the Big Knives, with their friends, the French, should you then 
listen to bad birds that may be flying through the land, you will 
no longer deserve to be counted as men, but as creatures with two 
tongues, that ought to be destroyed without listening to anything 
you might say. As I am convinced you never heard the truth be- 
fore, I do not wish you to answer before you have taken time to 
24 



370 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

counsel. We will, therefore, part this evening, and when the 
Great Spirit shall bring us together again, let us speak and think 
like men with but one heart and one tongue." 

Governor Henry, of Virginia, soon received intelligence of the 
successful progress of the expedition under the command of Clark. 
The French inhabitants of the villages of Kaskaskia, Cahokia and 
Post Vincennes, having taken the oath of allegiance to the state of 
Virginia, the General Assembly of that state, in October, 1778, 
passed an act which contained the following provisions, viz: All 
the citizens of the commonwealth of Virginia, " who are already 
settled or shall hereafter settle on the western side of the Ohio, 
shall be included in a distinct county, which shall be called Illinois 
county ; and the governor of this commonwealth, with the advice 
of the council, may appoint a county lieutenant, or commandant- 
in-chief in that county, during pleasure, who shall appoint and 
commission so many deputy-commandants, militia officers and com- 
missaries, as he shall think proper, in the different districts, during 
pleasure, all of whom, before they enter into office, shall take the 
oath of fidelity to this commonwealth and the oath of office, accord*- 
ing to the form of their own religion, And all civil officers to 
which the inhabitants have been accustomed, necessary for the 
preservation of the peace and the administration of justice, shall 
be chosen by a majority of the citizens in their respective districts, 
to be convened for that purpose by the county lieutenant or com- 
mandant or his deputy, and shall be commissioned by the said 
county lieutenant or commandant-in-chief." 

Before the provisions of this law were carried into effect, Henry 
Hamilton, the British lieutenant-governor of Detroit, collected an 
army, consisting of about thirty regulars, fifty French volunteers 
and four hundred Indians. With this force he passed down the 
river Wabash, and took possession of Post Vincennes on the 15th 
of December, 1778. No attempt was made by the population to 
defend the town. Captain Helm was taken and detained as a pris- 
oner, and a number of the French inhabitants were disarmed. 

The following anecdote is related in Butler's History of Ken- 
tucky, p. 80: 

" When Governor Hamilton entered Vincennes, there were but 
two Americans there, Captain Helm, the commandant, and one 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 371 

Henry. The latter had a cannon well charged and placed in the 
open fort gate, while Helm stood by it with a lighted match in his 
hand. When Hamilton and his troops got within hailing distance, 
the American officer, in a loud voice, cried out, ' Halt ! ' This 
stopped the movements of Hamilton, who, in reply, demanded a 
surrender of the garrison. Helm exclaimed with an oath, ' No 
man shall enter until I know the terms.' Hamilton answered, 
1 You shall have the honors of war;' and then the fort was sur- 
rendered, with its garrison of one officer and one private." 

1779. Soon after the reduction of Post Yincennes the situ- 
ation of Colonel Clark became perilous. Detached parties of hos- 
tile Indians began to appear in the neighborhood of his forces in 
the Illinois. He ordered Major Bowman to evacuate the fort at 
Cahokia, and join him at Kaskaskia. In his memoir Clark says : 

" I could see but little probability of keeping possession of the 
country, as my number of men was too small to stand a siege and 
my situation too remote to call for assistance. I made all the pre- 
paration I possibly could for the attack, and was necessitated to set 
fire to some of the houses in town to clear them out of the way. 
But, on the 29th of January, 1779, in the height of the hurry, a 
Spanish merchant [Francis Vigo], who had been at Post Yin- 
cennes, arrived and gave the following intelligence : That Mr. 
Hamilton had weakened himself by sending his Indians against 
the frontiers and to block up the Ohio ; that he had not more than 
eighty men in garrison, three pieces of cannon, and some swivels 
mounted ; that the hostile Indians were to meet at Post Yincennes 
in the spring, drive us out of the Illinois, and attack the Ken- 
tucky settlements in a body, joined by their southern friends; that 
all the goods were taken from the merchants of Post Yincennes 
for the king's use; that the troops under Hamilton were repair- 
ing the fort, and expected a reinforcement from Detroit in the 
spring ; that they appeared to have plenty of all kinds of stores ; 
that they were strict in their discipline, but that he did not believe 
they were under much apprehension of a visit; and believed that, 
if we could get there undiscovered, we might take the place. In 
short, we got every information from this gentleman that we could 
wish for, as he had had good opportunities and had taken great 
pains to inform himself with a design to give intelligence, We 



372 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

now viewed ourselves in a very critical situation — in a manner cut 
off from any intercourse between us and the United States. Wo 
knew that Governor Hamilton, in the spring, by a junction of his 
northern and southern Indians (which he had prepared for), would 
be at the head of such a force that nothing in this quarter could 
withstand his arms; that Kentucky must immediately fall, and 
well if the desolation would end there. If we could immediately 
make our way good to Kentucky, we were convinced that before 
we could raise a force even sufficient to save that country, it would 
be too late, as all the men in it, joined by the troops we had, 
would not be sufficient, and to get timely succor from the interior 
counties was out of the question. We saw but one alternative, 
which was to attack the enemy in their quarters. If we were for- 
tunate it would save the whole. If otherwise, it would be nothing 
more than what would certainly be the consequence if we should 
not make the attempt. * * * These and many other similar 
reasons induced us to resolve to attempt the enterprise, which met 
with the approbation of every individual belonging to us. 

" Orders were immediately issued for preparations. The whole 
country took fire at the alarm, and every order was executed with 
cheerfulness by every description of the inhabitants — preparing 
provisions, encouraging volunteers, etc., and as we had plenty of 
stores, every man was completely rigged with what he could desire 
to withstand the coldest weather. * * * To convey our artil- 
lery and stores it was concluded to send a vessel round by water, 
so strong that she might force her way. A large Mississippi boat 
was immediately purchased and completely fitted out as a galley, 
mounting two four-pounders and four large swivels. She was 
manned by forty -six men, under command of Captain John Rog- 
ers. He set sail on the 4th of February, with orders to force his 
way up the Wabash as high as the mouth of White river. 

" Everything being ready, on the 5th of February, after receiv- 
ing a lecture and absolution from the priest, we crossed the Kas- 
kaskia river with one hundred and seventy men, marched about 
three miles and encamped, where we lay until the [7th] and set 
out. The weather was wet (but fortunately not cold for the sea- 
son) and a great part of the plains under water several inches deep. 
It was difficult and very fatiguing marching. My object was now 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 373 

to keep the men in spirits. I suffered them to shoot game on all 
occasions, and feast on it like Indian war-dancers — each company 
by turns inviting the others to their feasts, which was the case 
every night, as the company that was to give the feast was always 
supplied with horses to lay up a sufficient store of wild meat in the 
course of the day, myself and principal officers putting on the 
woodsmen, shouting now and then, and running as much through 
the mud and water as any of them. Thus, insensibly, without a 
murmur, were those men led on to the banks of the Little Wabash, 
which we reached on the 13th, through incredible difficulties, far 
surpassing anything that any of us had ever experienced. Fre- 
quently the diversions of the night wore off the thoughts of the 
preceding day. We formed a camp on a height which we found 
on the bank of the river, and suffered our troops to amuse them- 
selves. I viewed this sheet of water for some time with distrust ; 
but, accusing myself of doubting, I immediately set to work, with- 
out holding any consultation about it, or suffering anybody else to 
do so in my presence; ordered a pirogue to be built immediately, 
and acted as though crossing the water would be only a piece of 
diversion. As but few could work at the pirogue at a time, pains 
were taken to find diversion for the rest to keep them in high spir- 
its. * * * In the evening of the 14th our vessel was finished, 
manned, and sent to explore the drowned lands on the opposite 
side of the Little Wabash, with private instructions what report to 
make, and, if possible, to find some spot of dry land. They found 
about half an acre, and marked the trees from thence back to the 
camp, and made a very favorable report. 

"Fortunately, the 15th happened to be a warm, moist day for 
the season. The channel of the river where we lay was about 
thirty yards wide. A scaffold was built on the opposite shore 
(which was about three feet under water) and our baggage ferried 
across and put on it; our horses swam across and received their 
loads at the scaffold, by which time the troops were also brought 
across, and we began our march through the water. * * * 

" By evening we found ourselves encamped on a pretty height, 
in high spirits, each party laughing at the other in consequence of 
something that had happened in the course of this ferrying busi- 
ness, as they called it. A little antic drummer afforded them great 



374 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

diverson by floating on his drum, etc. All this was greatly en- 
couraged, and they really began to think themselves superior to 
other men, and that neither the rivers nor the seasons could stop 
their progress. Their whole conversation now was concerning 
what they would do when they got about the enemy. They now 
began to view the main Wabash as a creek, and made no doubt 
but such men as they were could find a way to cross it. They 
wound themselves up to such a pitch that they soon took Post Vin- 
cennes, divided the spoil, and before bed-time were far advanced 
on their route to Detroit. All this was no doubt pleasing to those 
of us who had more serious thoughts. * * * We were now 
convinced that the whole of the low country on the Wabash was 
drowned, and that the enemy could easily get to us if they discov- 
ered us and wished to risk an action ; if they did not, we made no 
doubt of crossing the river by some means or other. Even if 
Captain Rogers, with our galley, did not get to his station agree- 
ble to his appointment, we flattered ourselves that all would be 
well, and marched on in high spirits." 

Here follows an extract from the manuscript journal of Major 
Bowman : 

"February 16th, 1779. Marched all day through rain and 
water. Crossed the Fur river. Our provisions begin to be short. 

" 17th. Marched early; crossed several runs very deep; sent 
Mr. Kernedy, our commissary, with three men, to cross the river 
Embarrass, if possible, and proceed to a plantation opposite Post 
Yincennes, in order to steal boats or canoes to ferry us across the 
Wabash. About an hour by sun we got near the river Embarrass; 
found the country all overflown with water. We strove to find 
the Wabash. Traveled till eight o'clock in mud and water, but 
find no place to encamp on. Still keep marching on, but after 
some time Mr. Kernedy and his party returned. Found it im- 
possible to cross the Embarrass river. We found the water falling 
from a small spot of ground. Staid there the remainder of the 
night. Drizzly and dark weather. 

" 18th. At daybreak heard Governor Hamilton's morning 
gun. Set off and marched down the river [Embarrass]; saw some 
fine land. About two o'clock came to the bank of the Wabash ; 
made rafts for four men to cross, and go up to town and steal 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 375 

boats, but they spent the day and night in the water to no purpose, 
for there was not one foot of dry land to be found. 

" 19th. Captain McCarty's company set to making a canoe, and 
at three o'clock the four men returned, after spending the night on 
some logs in the water. The canoe finished. Captain McCarty, 
with three of his men, embarked in the canoe, and made the next 
attempt to steal boats, but he soon returned, having discovered 
four large fires about a league distant from our camp ; they seemed 
to be fires of whites and Indians. Immediately Colonel Clark sent 
two men in the canoe down to meet the galley, with orders to come 
on day and night — that being our last hope, and [we] starving. 
Many of the men much cast down — particularly the volunteers. 
No provision of any sort, now two days. Hard fortune. 

" 20th. Camp very quiet, but hungry. Some almost in de- 
spair. Many of the Creole volunteers talking of returning. Fell 
to making more canoes, when, about twelve o'clock, our sentry on 
the river brought to a boat with five Frenchmen from the fort, 
who told us we were not as yet discovered — that the inhabitants 
were well disposed to us, etc. * * * They informed us of two 
oanoes they had seen adrift some distance above us. Ordered that 
Captain Worthington, with a party, go in search of them. Re- 
turned late with one only. One of our men killed a deer, which 
was brought into camp very acceptably. 

"21st. At break of day began to ferry our men over [the 
Wabash] in two canoes, to a small hill called the Mamelle. Cap- 
tain Willaims, with two men, went to look for a passage, and were 
discovered by two men in a canoe, but could not fetch them to. 
The whole army being over, we thought to get to town that night, 
so plunged into the water, sometimes to the neck, for more than 
one league, when w r e stopped on a hill of the same name, there be- 
ing no dry land on any side for many leagues. Our pilots say we 
oan not get along — that it is impossible. The whole army being 
over, we encamped. Rain all this day. No provisions." 

Referring to the march on the 20th, Clark, in his Memoir, 
says: a Many of our volunteers began, for the first time, to despair. 
Some talked of returning, but my situation now was such that I 
was past all uneasiness. I laughed at them without persuading 
or ordering them to desist from any such attempt, but told them I 



376 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

should be glad if they would go out and kill some deer. They 
went, confused with such conduct. My own troops I knew had no 
idea of abandoning an enterprise for the want of provisions, while 
there were plenty of good horses in their possession ; and I knew 
that, without any violence, the volunteers could be detained for a 
few days, in the course of which time our fate would be known. I 
conducted myself in a manner that caused the whole to believe 
that I had no doubt of success, which kept their spirits up." 

The memoir of Clark proceeds: "This last day's march 
through the water was far superior to any thing the Frenchmen 
had an idea of. They were backward in speaking — said that the 
nearest land to us was a small league called the Sugar Camp, on 
the bank of the [river?]. A canoe was sent off, and returned with- 
out finding that we could pass. I went in her myself, and sounded 
the water; found it deep as to my neck. I returned with a design 
to have the men transported on board the canoes to the Sugar 
Camp, which I knew would spend the whole day and ensuing night 
as the vessels would pass slowly through the bushes. The loss of 
so much time, to men half starved, was a matter of consequence. 
I would have given now a great deal for a day's provision, or for 
one of our horses. I returned but slowly to the troops, giving 
myself time to think. On our arrival, all ran to hear what was 
the report. Every eye was fixed on me. I unfortunately spoke 
in a serious manner to one of the officers; the whole were alarmed 
without knowing what I said. I viewed their confusion for about 
one minute ; whispered to those near me to do as I did ; immedi- 
ately put some water in my hand, poured on powder, blackened 
my face, gave the war-whoop, and marched into the water, without 
saying a word. The party gazed, and fell in, one after another, 
without saying a word, like a flock of sheep. I ordered those near 
me to begin a favorite song of theirs; it soon passed through the 
line, and the whole went on cheerfully. I now intended to have 
them transported across the deepest part of the water ; but when 
about waist deep one of the men informed me that he thought he 
felt a path. We examined and found it so, and concluded that it 
kept on the highest ground, which it did, and by taking pains to 
follow it, we got to the sugar camp without the least difficulty. 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 377 

where there was about half an acre of dry ground, at least not 
under water, where we took up our lodging. 

" The Frenchmen that we had taken on the river appeared to 
be uneasy at our situation. They begged that they might be per- 
mitted to go in the two canoes to town in the night. They said 
that they would bring from their own houses provisions, without a 
possibility of any persons knowing it; that some of our men 
should go with them, as a surety of their good conduct; that it 
was impossible we could march from that place till the water fell, 
for the plain was too deep to march. Some of the [officers?] be- 
lieved that it might be done. I would not suffer it. I never 
could well account for this piece of obstinacy, and give satisfactory 
reasons to myself or anybody else why I denied a proposition ap- 
parently so easy to execute and of so much advantage ; but some- 
thing seemed to tell me that it should not be done, and it was not 
done. 

"The most of the weather that we had on this march was moist 
and warm for the season. This was the coldest night we had. 
The ice in the morning was from one-half to three-quarters of an 
inch thick near the shores and in still water, The morning was 
the finest we had on our march. A little after sunrise I lectured 
the whole. What I said to them I forget; but it may be easily 
imagined by a person that could possess my affections for them at 
that time. I concluded by informing them that passing the plain 
that was then in full view and reaching the opposite woods would 
put an end to their fatigue ; that in a few hours they would have a 
sight of their long-wished-for object, and immediately stepped into 
the water without waiting for any reply. A huzza took place. As 
we generally marched through the water in a line, before the third 
entered I halted and called to Major Bowman, ordering him to fall 
in the rear with twenty-five men, and put to death any man who 
refused to march, as we wished to have no such person among us. 
The whole gave a cry of approbation, and on we went. 

" This was the most trying of all the difficulties we had ex- 
perienced. I generally kept fifteen or twenty of the strongest men 
next myself, and judged from my own feelings what must be that 
of others. Getting about the middle of the plain, the water about 
mid-deep, I found myself sensibly failing; and as there were no 



378 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 



trees nor bushes for the men to support themselves by, I feared 
that many of the most weak would be drowned. I ordered the 
canoes to make the land, discharge their loading, and ply back- 
ward and forward with all diligence and pick up the men ; and, to 
encourage the party, sent some of the strongest men forward, with 
orders, when they got to a certain distance, to pass the word back 
that the water was getting shallow, and when getting near the 
woods to cry out e Land ! ' This stratagem had its desired effect. 
The men, encouraged by it, exerted themselves almost beyond 
their abilities, the weak holding by the stronger. * * * The 
water never got shallower, but continued deepening. Getting to 
the woods, where the men expected land, the water was up to my 
shoulders; but gaining the woods was of great consequence — all 
the low men and the weakly hung to the trees and floated on the 
old logs until they were taken off by the canoes. The strong and 
tall got ashore and built fires. Many would reach the shore and 
fall with their bodies half in the water, not being able to support 
themselves without it. 

" This was a delightful dry spot of ground, of about ten acres. 
We soon found that the fires answered no purpose, but that two 
strong men taking a weaker one by the arms was the only way to 
recover him, and, being a delightful day, it soon did. But for- 
tunately, as if designed by Providence, a canoe of Indian squaws 
and children was coming up to town, and took through part of this 
plain as a nigh way. It was discovered by our canoes as they were 
out after the men. They gave chase and took the Indian canoe, on 
board of which was near half a quarter of a buffalo, some corn, tal- 
low, kettles, etc. This was a grand prize, and was invaluable. 
Broth was immediately made and served out to the most weakly, 
with great care; most of the whole got a little, but a great many 
gave their part to the weakly, jocosely saying something cheering 
to their comrades. This little refreshment and fine weather, by the 
afternoon, gave new life to the whole. Crossing a narrow, deep 
lake in the canoes, and marching some distance, we came to a copse 
of timber called the Warrior's Island. 

" We were now in full view of the fort and town, not a shrub 
between us, at about two miles' distance. Every man now feasted 
his eyes, and forgot that he had suffered anything — saying that all 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 379 

that had passed was owing to good policy, and nothing but what a 
man could bear, and that a soldier had no right to think, etc., 
passing from one extreme to another, which is common in such 
cases. It was now we had to display our abilities. The plain be- 
tween us and the town was not a perfect level. The sunken 
grounds were covered with water full of ducks. We observed 
several men out on horseback, shooting them, within a half mile of 
us, and sent out as many of our active young Frenchmen to decoy 
and take one of these men prisoners in such a manner as not to 
alarm the others, which they did. The information we got from 
this person was similar to that which we got from those we took on 
the river, except that of the British having that evening completed 
the wall of the fort, and that there was a good many Indians in 
town. 

" Our situation was now truly critical; no possibility of retreat- 
ing in case of defeat, and in full view of a town that had, at this 
time, upward of six hundred men in it, troops, inhabitants and In- 
dians. The crew of the galley, though not fifty men, would have 
been now a reinforcement of immense magnitude to our little army 
(if I may so call it), but we would not think of them. We were 
now in the situation that I had labored to get ourselves in. The 
idea of being made prisoner was foreign to almost every man, as 
they expected nothing but torture from the savages if they fell into 
their hands. Our fate was now to be determined, probably in a 
few hours. We knew that nothing but the most daring conduct 
would insure success. I knew that a number of the inhabitants 
wished us well; that many were lukewarm to the interest of either, 
and, I also learned, that the grand chief, the Tobacco's Son, had, 
but a few days before, openly declared in council with the British, 
that he was a brother and friend to the Big Knives. These were 
favorable circumstances, and as there was but little probability of 
our remaining until dark undiscovered, I determined to begin the 
career immediately, and wrote the following placard to the in- 
habitants : 

"'To the Inhabitants of Post Yincennes — Gentlemen: 
Being now within two miles of your village, with my army, deter- 
mined to take your fort this night, and not being willing to surprise 
you, I take this method to request such of you as are true citizens, 



380 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 



and willing to enjoy the liberty I bring you, to remain still in your 
houses. And those, if any there be, that are friends to the king, 
will instantly repair to the fort aud join the hair-buyer general, 
and fight like men. And if any such as do not go to the fort shall 
be discovered afterwards, they may depend on severe punishment. 
On the contrary, those who are true friends to liberty may depend 
on being well treated, and I once more request them to keep out 
of the streets; for every one I find in arms on my arrival I shall 
treat him as an enemy. [Signed] G. R. Clark/ 

" I had various ideas on the supposed results of this letter. I 
knew that it could do us no damage, but that it would cause the 
lukewarm to be decided, encourage our friends and astonish our 
enemies. * * * We anxiously viewed this messenger until he 
entered the town, and in a few minutes could discover, by our 
glasses, some stir in every street that we could penetrate into, and 
great numbers running or riding out into the commons, we sup- 
posed to view us, which was the case. But what surprised us was 
that nothing had yet happened that had the appearance of the gar- 
rison being alarmed ; no drum nor gun. We began to suppose that 
the information we got from our prisoners was false, and the enemy 
already knew of us and were prepared. 

" A little before sunset we moved and displayed ourselves in 
full view of the town — crowds gazing at us. We were plunging 
ourselves into certain destruction or success. There was no mid- 
way thought of. We had but little to say to our men, except in- 
culcating an idea of the necessity of obedience, etc. We knew 
they did not want encouraging, and that anything might be at- 
tempted with them that was possible for such a number — perfectly 
cool, under proper subordination, pleased with the prospect before 
them, and much attached to their officers. They all declared that 
they were convinced that an implicit obedience to orders was the 
only thing that would insure success, and hoped that no mercy 
would be shown the person that should violate them. Such lan- 
guage as this from soldiers to persons in our station must have 
been exceedingly agreeable. 

" We moved on slowly in full view of the town ; but, as it was 
a point of some consequence to us to make ourselves appear as for- 
midable, we, in leaving the covert that we were in, marched and 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 381 

countermarched in such a manner that we appeared numerous. In 
raising volunteers in the Illinois, every person that set about the 
business had a set of colors given him, which they brought with 
them to the amount of ten or twelve pairs. These were displayed 
to the best advantage, and as the low plain we marched through 
was not a perfect level, but had frequent raisings in it seven or 
eight feet higher than the common level (which was covered with 
water), and as these raisings generally ran in oblique direction to 
the town, we took the advantage of one of them, marching through 
the water under it, which completely prevented our being num- 
bered. But our colors showed considerably above the heights, as 
they were fixed on long poles procured for the purpose, and at a 
distance made no despicable appearance ; and as our young French- 
men had, while we lay on the Warrior's Island, decoyed and taken 
several fowlers, with their horses, officers were mounted on these 
horses, and rode about more completely to deceive the enemy. In 
this manner we moved, and directed our march in such a way as to 
suffer it to be dark before we had advanced more than half way to 
the town. We then suddenly altered our direction and crossed 
ponds where they could not have suspected us, and about eight 
o'clock gained the heights back of the town. As there was yet no 
hostile appearance, we were impatient to have the cause unriddled. ; 
Lieutenant Bayley was ordered, with fourteen men, to march and 
fire on the fort. The main body moved in a different direction, 
and took possession of the strongest part of the town. 

u The firing now commenced on the fort, but they did not be- 
lieve it was an enemy, until one of their men was shot down 
through a port, as drunken Indians frequently saluted the fort after 
night. The drums now sounded, and the business fairly com- 
menced on both sides. Reinforcements were sent to the attack of 
the garrison, while other arrangements were making in town. * * 
We now found that the garrison had known nothing of us ; that, 
having finished the fort that evening, they had amused themselves 
at different games, and had just retired before my letter arrived, as 
it was near roll-call. The placard being made public, many of the 
inhabitants were afraid to show themselves out of the houses for 
fear of giving offense, and not one dare give information. Our 
friends flew to the commons and other convenient places to view 




382 CHEONOLOGICAL KECOKDS. 

the pleasing sight. This was observed from the garrison, and the 
reason asked, but a satisfactory excuse was given ; and as a part of 
the town lay between our line of march and the garrison, we could 
not be seen by the sentinels on the walls. Captain W. Shannon 
and another being some time before taken prisoners by one of their 
[scouting parties] and that evening brought in, the party had dis- 
covered at the sugar camp some signs of us. They supposed it to 
be a party of observation that intended to land on the height some 
distance below the town. Captain Lamotte was sent to intercept 
them. It was at him the people said they were looking when they 
were asked the reason of their unusual stir. 

" Several suspected persons had been taken to the garrison ; 
among them was Mr. Moses Henry. Mrs. Henry went, under the 
pretense of carrying him provisions, and whispered him the news 
and what she had seen. Mr. Henry conveyed it to the rest of his 
fellow-prisoners, which gave them much pleasure, particularly 
Captain Helm, who amused himself very much during the siege, 
and, I believe, did much damage. 

"Ammunition was scarce with us, as the most of our stores had 
been put on board the galley. Though her crew was but few, 
such a reinforcement to us, at this time, would have been invalu- 
able in many instances. But, fortunately, at the time of its being 
reported that the whole of the goods in the town were to be taken 
for the king's use (for which the owners were to receive bills), 
Colonel Legras, Major Bosseron, and others, had buried the great- 
est part of their powder and ball. This was immediately produced, 
and we found ourselves well supplied by those gentlemen. 

" The Tobacco's Son being in town with a number of warriors, 
immediately mustered them, and let us know that he wished to 
join us, saying that by the morning he would have a hundred men. 
He received for answer that we thanked him for his friendly dis- 
position ; and as we were sufficiently strong ourselves, we wished 
him to desist, and that we would counsel on the subject in the 
morning ; and as we knew that there were a number of Indians in 
and near the town that were our enemies, some confusion might 
happen if our men should mix in the dark ; but hoped that we 
might be favored with his counsel and company during the night — 
which was agreeable to him. 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 383 

" The garrison was soon completely surrounded, and the firing 
continued without intermission (except about fifteen minutes a lit- 
tle before day) until about nine o'clock the following morning. 
It was kept up by the whole of the troops — joined by a few of the 
young men of the town, who got permission — except fifty men 
kept as a reserve. * * * I had made myself fully acquainted 
with the situation of the fort and town, and the parts relative to 
each. The cannon of the garrison was on the upper floors of 
strong blockhouses, at each angle of the fort, eleven feet above 
the surface; and the ports so badly cut that many of our troops 
lay under the fire of them within twenty or thirty yards of the 
walls. They did no damage, except to the buildings of the town, 
some of which they much shattered ; and their musketry, in the 
dark, employed against woodsmen covered by houses, palings, 
ditches, the banks of the river, etc., was but of little avail, and 
did no injury to us except wounding a man or two. As we could 
not afford to lose men, great care was taken to preserve them suf- 
ficiently covered, and to keep up a hot fire in order to intimidate 
the enemy as well as to destroy them. The embrasures of their 
cannon were frequently shut, for our riflemen, finding the true di- 
rection of them, would pour in such volleys when they were 
opened that the men could not stand to their guns ; seven or eight 
of them in a short time got cut down. Our troops would fre- 
quently abuse the enemy in order to aggravate them to open their 
ports and fire their cannon, that they might have the pleasure of 
cutting them down with their rifles — fifty of which, perhaps, would 
be leveled the moment the port flew open ; and I believe if they 
had stood at their artillery the greater part of them would have 
been destroyed in the course of the night, as the greater part of 
our men lay within thirty yards of the walls; and in a few hours 
were covered equally to those within the walls, and much more ex- 
perienced in that mode of fighting. * * * 

" Sometimes an irregular fire, as hot as possible, was kept up 
from different directions for a few minutes, and then only a con- 
tinual scattering fire at the ports as usual ; and a great noise 
and laughter immediately commenced in different parts of the 
town, by the reserved parties, as if they had only fired on the fort 
for a few moments for amusement, and as if those continually fir- 









384 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

ing at the fort were only regularly relieved. Conduct similar to 
this kept the garrison constantly alarmed. They did not know 
what moment they might be stormed or [blown up?] as they could 
plainly discover that we had flung up some intrenchments across 
the streets, and appeared to be frequently very busy under the 
bank of the river, which was within thirty feet of the walls. The 
situation of the magazine we knew well. Captain Bowman began 
some works in order to blow it up in case our artillery should ar- 
rive ; but as we knew that we were daily liable to be overpowered 
by the numerous bands of Indians on the river, in case they had 
again joined the enemy (the certainty of which we were unac- 
quainted with), we resolved to lose no time, but to get the fort in 
our possession as soon as possible. If the vessel did not arrive 
before the ensuing night we resolved to undermine the fort, and 
fixed on the spot and plan of executing this work, which we in- 
tended to commence the next day. 

" The Indians of different tribes that were inimical had left the 
town and neighborhood. Captain Lamotte continued to hover 
about it, in order, if possible, to make his way good into the fort. 
Parties attempted in vain to surprise him. A few of his party 
were taken, one of which was Maisonville, a famous Indian parti- 
san. Two lads that captured him, tied him to a post in the street 
and fought from behind him as a breastwork, supposing that the 
enemy would not fire at them for fear of killing him, as he would 
alarm them by his voice. The lads were ordered by an officer who 
discovered them at their amusement, to untie their prisoner and 
take him off to the guard, which they did, but were so inhuman as 
to take part of his scalp on the way. There happened to him no 
other damage. 

" As almost the whole of the persons who were most active in 
the department of Detroit were either in the fort or with Captain 
Lamotte, I got extremely uneasy for fear that he would not fall 
into our power, knowing that he would go off if he could not get 
into the fort in the course of the night. Finding that, without 
some unforeseen accident, the fort must inevitably be ours, and that 
a reinforcement of twenty men, although considerable to them, 
would not be of great moment to us in the present situation of 
affairs, and knowing that we had weakened them by killing or 



CHEONOLOGICAL KECOKDS. 385 

wounding many of their gunners, after some deliberation we con- 
cluded to risk the reinforcement in preference of his going again 
among the Indians ; the garrison had at least a month's provisions, 
and if they could hold out, in the course of that time he might do 
us much damage. A little before day the troops were withdrawn 
from their positions about the fort, except a few parties of observa- 
tion, and the firing totally ceased. Orders were given, in case of 
Lamotte's approach, not to alarm or fire on him without a certainty 
of killing or taking the whole. In less than a quarter of an hour 
he passed within ten feet of an officer and a party that lay con- 
cealed. Ladders were flung over to them, and as they mounted 
them our party shouted. Many of them fell from the top of the 
walls, some within and others back ; but as they were not fired on, 
they all got over, much to the joy of their friends. But, on con- 
sidering the matter, they must have been convinced that it was a 
scheme of ours to let them in, and that we were so strong as to 
care but little about them or the manner of their getting into the 
garrison. * * * The firing immediately commenced on both 
sides with double vigor, and I believe that more noise could not 
have been made by the same number of men. Their shouts could 
not be heard for the firearms, but a continual blaze was kept 
around the garrison, without much being done, until about day- 
break, when our troops were drawn off to posts prepared for them, 
about sixty or seventy yards from the fort. A loop-hole then 
could scarcely be darkened but a rifle-ball would pass through it. 
To have stood to their cannon would have destroyed their men, 
without a probability of doing much service. Our situation was 
nearly similar. It would have been imprudent in either party to 
have wasted their men without some decisive stroke required it. 

" Thus the attack continued until about nine o'clock on the 
morning of the 24th. Learning that the two prisoners they had 
brought in the day before had a considerable number of letters 
with them, I supposed it an express that we expected about this 
time, which I knew to be of the greatest moment to us, as we had 
not received one since our arrival in the country ; and not being 
fully acquainted with the character of our enemy, we were doubt- 
25 












386 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

ful that those papers might be destroyed, to prevent which I sent a 
flag [with a letter] demanding the garrison." 

The following is a copy of the letter (extracted from Major 
Bowman's manuscript journal) which was addressed by Colonel 
Clark to Lieutenant-Governor Hamilton on this occasion : 

" Sir : In order to save yourself from the impending storm 
that now threatens you, I order you immediately to surrender your- 
self, with all your garrison, stores, etc.; for if I am obliged to 
storm, you may depend on such treatment as is justly due to a mur- 
derer. Beware of destroying stores of any kind, or any papers or 
letters that are in your possession, or hurting one house in town — 
for, by heavens ! if you do, there shall be no mercy shown you. 
"[Signed] G. R. Clark." 

The British commandant immediately returned the following 
answer : 

" Lieutenant-Governor Hamilton begs leave to acquaint Colonel 
Clark that he and his garrison are not disposed to be awed into any 
action unworthy British subjects." 

" The firing then," says Clark, " commenced warmly for a con- 
siderable time, and we were obliged to be careful in preventing 
our men from exposing themselves too much, as they were now 
much animated, having been refreshed during the flag. They fre- 
quently mentioned their wishes to storm the place and put an end 
to the business at once. * * * The firing was heavy through 
every crack that could be discovered in any part of the fort. Sev- 
eral of the garrison got wounded, and no possibility of standing 
near the embrasures. Toward the evening a flag appeared with the 
following proposals : 

" ' Lieutenant-Governor Hamilton proposes to Colonel Clark a 
truce for three days, during which time he promises there shall be 
no defensive works carried on in the garrison, on condition that 
Colonel Clark shall observe, on his part, a like cessation of any 
defensive work ; that is, he wishes to confer with Colonel Clark as 
soon as can be, and promises that whatever may pass between them 
two, and another person mutually agreed upon to be present, shall 
remain secret till matters be finished, as he wishes that, whatever 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 387 

the result of the conference may be, it may tend to the honor and 
credit of each party. If Colonel Clark makes a difficulty of com- 
ing into the fort, Lieutenant-Governor Hamilton will speak to him 
by the gate. [Signed] Henry Hamilton. 

'" 24th February, 1779.' 

"I was at a great loss to conceive what reason Lieutenant- 
Governor Hamilton could have for wishing a truce of three days, 
on such terms as he proposed. Numbers said it was a scheme to 
get me into their possession. I had a different opinion, and no 
idea of his possessing such sentiments, as an act of that kind would 
infallibly ruin him. Although we had the greatest reason to ex- 
pect a reinforcement in less than three days that would at once 
put an end to the siege, I yet did not think it prudent to agree to 
the proposals, and sent the following answer : 

" 'Colonel Clark's compliments to Lieutenant-Governor Ham- 
ilton, and begs leave to inform him that he will not agree to any 
terms other than Mr. Hamilton's surrendering himself and garri- 
son prisoners at discretion. If Mr. Hamilton is desirous of a con- 
ference with Colonel Clark, he will meet him at the church with 
Captain Helm. [Signed] G. K. C. 

"'February 24th, 1779.' 

"We met at the church,* about eighty yards from the fort — 
Lieutenant-Governor Hamilton, Major Hay, superintendent of 
Indian affairs, Captain Helm, their prisoner, Major Bowman and 
myself. The conference began. Hamilton produced terms of 
capitulation, signed, that contained various articles, one of which 
was that the garrison should be surrendered, on their being 
permitted to go to Pensacola on parole. After deliberating on 

* During the conference at the church some Indian warriors, who had been 
sent to the falls of the Ohio for scalps and prisoners; were discovered on their re- 
turn, as they entered the plains near Post Vincennes. A party of the American 
troops, commanded by Captain Williams, went out to meet them. The Indians, 
who mistook this detachment for a party of their friends, continued to advance 
" with all the parade of successful warriors." " Our men," says Major Bowman, 
"killed two on the spot; wounded three; took six prisoners, and brought them 
into town. Two of them proving to be whites, we released them, and brought the 
Indians to the main street, before the fort gate, there tomahawked them and threw 
them into the river." [Major Bowman's MS. Journal.] 






388 CHKOJSOLOGICAL KECOEDS. 

every article, I rejected the whole. He then wished that I would 
make some proposition. I told him that I had no other to make 
than what I had already made — that of his surrendering as pris- 
oners at discretion. I said that his troops had behaved with spirit; 
that they could not suppose that they would be worse treated in 
consequence of it ; that if he chose to comply with the demand, 
though hard, perhaps the sooner the better ; that it was in vain to 
make any proposition to me ; that he, by this time, must be sensi- 
ble that the garrison would fall ; that both of us must [view?] all 
blood spilt for the future, by the garrison, as murder ; that my 
troops were already impatient, and called aloud for permission to 
tear down and storm the fort. If such a step was taken, many, of 
course, would be cut down ; and the result of an enraged body of 
woodsmen breaking in must be obvious to him. It would be out of 
the power of an American officer to save a single man. Various 
altercations took place for a considerable time. Captain Helm at- 
tempted to moderate our fixed determination. I told him he was 
a British prisoner, and it was doubtful whether or not he could, 
with propriety, speak on the subject. Hamilton then said that 
Captain Helm was from that moment liberated, and might use his 
pleasure. I informed the captain that I would not receive him on 
such terms; that he must return to the garrison and await his fate. 
"I then told Lieutenant-Governor Hamilton that hostilities 
should not commence until five minutes after the drums gave the 
alarm. We took our leave, and parted but a few steps when 
Hamilton stopped and politely asked me if I would be so kind as 
to give him my reasons for refusing the garrison on any other 
terms than those I had offered. I told him I had no objections in 
giving him my real reasons, which were simply these : That I 
knew the greater part of the principal Indian partisans of Detroit 
were with him ; that I wanted an excuse to put them to death, or 
otherwise treat them, as I thought proper; that the cries of the 
widows and fatherless, on the frontiers, which they had occasioned, 
now required their blood from my hands, and that I did not choose 
to be so timorous as to disobey the absolute commands of their 
authority, which I looked upon to be next to divine; that I would 
rather lose fifty men than not to empower myself to execute this 
piece of business with propriety ; that if he chose to risk the mas- 



CHKONOLOGICAL EECOKDS. 389 

sacre of his garrison for their sakes, it was his own pleasure ; and 
that I might, perhaps, take it into my head to send for some of 
those widows to see it executed. Major Hay, paying great atten- 
tion, I had observed a kind of distrust in his countenance, which 
in a great measure influenced my conversation during this time. 
On my concluding, ' Pray, sir/ said he, ' who is it that you call 
Indian partisans ?' ' Sir/ I replied, ' I take Major Hay to be one 
of the principal/ I never saw a man in the moment of execution 
so struck as he appeared to be ; pale and trembling, scarcely able 
to stand. Hamilton blushed, and, I observed, was much affected 
at his behavior. Major Bowman's countenance sufficiently ex- 
plained his disdain for the one and sorrow for the other. * * * 
Some moments elapsed without a word passing on either side. 
From that moment my resolutions changed respecting Hamilton's 
situation. I told him that we would return to our respective 
posts; that I would reconsider the matter, and let him know the 
result; no offensive measures should be taken in the meantime. 
Agreed to; and we parted. What had passed being made known 
to our officers, it was agreed that we should moderate our resolu- 
tions." 

In the course of the afternoon of the 24th, the following articles * 
were signed, and the garrison capitulated : 

" I. Lieutenant-Governor Hamilton engages to deliver up to 
Colonel Clark Fort Sackville, as it is at present, with all the 
stores, etc. 

" II. The garrison are to deliver themselves as prisoners of 
war, and march out with their arms and accouterments, etc. 

" III. The garrison to be delivered up at ten o'clock to-mor- 
row. 

"IV. Three days* time to be allowed the garrison to settle 
their accounts with the inhabitants and traders of this place. 

" V. The officers of the garrison to be allowed their necessary 
baggage, etc. 

"Signed at Post St. Vincent [Vincennes], 24th Feb'y, 1779. 

"Agreed for the following reasons : The remoteness from suc- 
cor; the state and quantity of provisions, etc.; unanimity of officers 

* Major Bowman's MS. Journal. 



390 CHEONOLOGICAL KECOKDS. 

and men in its expediency; the honorable terms allowed; and 
lastly, the confidence in a generous enemy. 

"[Signed] Henry Hamilton, 

"Lieut.-Gov. and Superintendent. " 

" The business being now nearly at an end, troops were posted 
in several strong houses around the garrison, and patroled during 
the night to prevent any deception that might be attempted. The 
remainder on duty lay on their arms, and, for the first time for 
many days past, got some rest. * * * During the siege I got 
only one man wounded ; not being able to lose many, I made them 
secure themselves well. Seven were badly wounded in the fort, 
through ports. * * * Almost every man had conceived a 
favorable opinion of Lieutenant-Governor Hamilton — I believe 
what affected myself made some impression on the whole — and I 
was happy to find that he never deviated, while he stayed with us, 
from that dignity of conduct that became an officer in his situation. 
The morning of the 25th approaching, arrangements were made for 
receiving the garrison [which consisted of seventy-nine men], and 
about ten o'clock it was delivered in form, and everything was im- 
mediately arranged to the best advantage. * * * On the 27th 
our galley arrived all safe, the crew much mortified, although they 
deserved great credit for their diligence. They had, on their pas- 
sage, taken up William Myres, express from government. The 
dispatches gave much encouragement. Our own battalion was to 
be completed, and an additional one to be expected in the course 
of the spring. " 

On the day after the surrender of the British garrison at Post 
Vincennes, Colonel Clark sent a detachment of sixty men up the 
river Wabash to intercept some boats which were laden with pro- 
visions and goods from Detroit. The detachment, under the 
command of Captain Helm, Major Bosseron and Major Legras, 
proceeded up the river, in three armed boats, about one hundred 
and twenty miles, when the British boats, seven in number, were 
surprised and captured without firing a gun. These boats, which 
had on board about ten thousand pounds worth of goods and pro- 
visions, were manned by about forty men, among whom was Philip 
Dejean, a magistrate of Detroit. 

" The provisions," says Clark, " were taken for the public, and 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 391 

the goods divided among the whole, except about eight hundred 
pounds worth to clothe the troops we expected to receive in a short 
time. This was very agreeable to the soldiers, as I told them that 
the State should pay them, in money, their proportions, and that 
they had great plenty of goods. * * * We yet found ourselves 
uneasy. The number of prisoners we had taken, added to those of 
the garrison, was so considerable when compared to our own num- 
bers that we were at a loss how to dispose of them so as not to in- 
terfere with our future operations. Detroit opened full in our view. 
In the fort at that place there were not more than eighty men, a 
great part of them invalids, and we were informed that many of the 
principal inhabitants were dissaffected to the British cause. The In- 
dians on our route we knew would now more than ever be cool tow- 
ard the English. * * * We could now augment our forces in 
this quarter to about four hundred men, as near half the inhabitants 
of Post Vincennes would join us. Kentucky, we supposed, could 
immediately furnish two hundred men, as there was a certainty of 
receiving a great addition of settlers in the spring. With our own 
stores, which we had learned were safe on their passage, added to 
those of the British, there would not be a single article wanting for 
an expedition against Detroit. We privately resolved to embrace 
the object that seemed to court our acceptance, without delay, giv- 
ing the enemy no time to recover from the blows they had received, 
but we wished it to become the object of the soldiery and the in- 
habitants before we should say anything about it. It immediately 
became the common topic among them, and in a few days they had 
arranged things so that they were, in their imaginations, almost 
ready to march. They were discountenanced in such conversation, 
and such measures were taken as tended to show that our ideas 
were foreign from such an attempt, but at the same time we were 
taking every step to pave our way. 

" The quantity of public goods brought from Detroit, added to 
the whole of those belonging to the traders of Post Vincennes 
that had been taken, was very considerable. The whole was di- 
vided among the soldiery, except some Indian medals that were 
kept in order to be altered for public use. The officers received 
nothing except a few articles of clothing that they stood in need 
of. The soldiers got almost rich. Others envied their good for- 



392 CHRONOLOGICAL KECOKDS. 

tune and wished that some enterprise might be undertaken to en- 
able them to perform some exploit. Detroit was their object. The 
clamor had now got to a great height ; to silence it, and to answer 
other purposes, they were told that an army was to march the en- 
suing summer from Pittsburg to take possession of Detroit. * * *• 

" On the 7th of March, Captains Williams and Eogers set out 
by water, with a party of twenty-five men, to conduct the British 
officers to Kentucky, and farther to weaken the prisoners eighteen 
privates were also sent. After their arrival at the falls of the 
Ohio. Captain Rogers had instructions to superintend their route 
to Williamsburg, to furnish them with all necessary supplies on 
their way, and to await the orders of the governor.* 

"Poor My res, the express, who set out on the 15th, got killed 
on his passage and his packet fell into the hands of the enemy ; but 
I had been so much on my guard that there was not a sentence in 
it that could be of any disadvantage to us for the enemy to know ; 
and there were private letters from soldiers to their friends, de- 
signedly wrote to deceive in case of such accidents. This was 
customary with us, as our expresses were frequently surprised. I 
sent a second dispatch to the governor, giving him a short but full 
account of what had passed and our views. I sent letters to the 
commandant of Kentucky, directing him to give me a certain but 
private account of the number of men he could furnish in June." 

Early in the month of March, " I laid before the officers my 
plans for the reduction of Detroit, and explained the almost cer- 
tainty of success and the probability of keeping possession of it 
until we could receive succor from the states. If we awaited the 
arrival of the troops mentioned in the dispatches from the governor 
of Virginia, the enemy in the meantime might get strengthened, 
and probably we might not be so capable of carrying the [post] 
with the expected reinforcement as we should be with our present 

* On the advice of his council, the governor of Virginia, on the 18th of June, 
1779, ordered Hamilton, Lamotte and Dejean to be " put into irons, confined in the 
dungeon of the public jail, debarred the use of pen, ink and paper, and excluded 
all converse except with their keeper." On the 29th of September, 1779, an order 
was issued by the governor to send the said prisoners to Hanover Court House, 
there to remain on their parole, within certain reasonable limits. Orders were also 
issued to send Major John Hay, under parole, to the same place. [Jefferson's Cor- 
respondence, i. 455.] 



CHKONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 393 

force in case we were to make the attempt at this time ; and in 
case we should be disappointed in the promised reinforcement, we 
might not be able to effect it at all. There were various argu- 
ments made use of on this delicate point. Every person seemed 
anxious to improve the present opportunity ; but prudence ap- 
peared to forbid the execution, and induced us to wait for the rein- 
forcement. 

"The arguments that appeared to have the greatest weight 
were, that with such a force we might march boldly through the 
Indian nations; that it would make a great [impression] on them, 
as well as the inhabitants of Detroit, and have a better effect than 
if we were now to slip off and take the place with so small a force ; 
that the British would not wish to weaken Niagara by sending any 
considerable reinforcements to Detroit; that it was more difficult 
tor that post to get succor from Canada than it was for us to receive 
it from the states; that the garrison at Detroit would not be able 
to get a reinforcement in time to prevent our executing our de- 
signs, as we might with propriety expect ours in a few weeks. In 

short, the enterprise was deferred until the of June, when our 

troops were to rendezvous at Post Vincennes. In the meantime 
every preparation was to be made, procuring provisions, etc. ; and 
to blind our designs, the whole, except a small garrison, should 
march immediately to the Illinois; and orders were sent to Ken- 
tucky to prepare themselves to meet at the appointed time. This 
was now our proposed plan, and directed our operations during the 
spring. 

"A company of volunteers from Detroit, mostly composed of 
young men, was drawn up, and when expecting to be sent off into 
a strange country, they were told that we were happy to learn that 
many of them were torn from their fathers and mothers and forced 
on this expedition ; others, ignorant of the true cause in contest, 
had engaged from a principle that actuates a great number of men, 
that of being fond of enterprise ; but that they now had a good 
opportunity to make themselves fully acquainted with the nature 
of the war, which they might explain to their friends; and that as 
we knew that sending them to the states, where they would be 
confined in a jail probably for the course of the war, would make 
a great number of our friends at Detroit unhappy, we had thought 



394 CHRONOLOGICAL BECOKDS. 

proper, for their sakes, to suffer them to return home, etc. A great 
deal more was said to them on this subject. On the whole, they 
were discharged on taking an oath not to bear arms against Amer- 
ica until exchanged. They received an order for their arms, boats 
and provisions to return with ; the boats were to be sold and di- 
vided among them when they got home. 

" In a few days they set out, and as we had spies who went 
among them as traders, we learned that they made great havoc to 
the British interest on their return to Detroit, publicly saying that 
they had taken an oath not to fight against Americans, but they 
had not sworn not to fight for them, etc.; and matters were carried 
to such a height that the commanding officer thought it prudent 
not to take notice of anything that was said or done. Mrs. 
McGomb, who kept a noted boarding house, I understand, had the 
assurance to show him the stores she had provided for the Amer- 
icans. This was the completion of our design in suffering the 
company to return. Many others that we could trust we suffered 
to enlist in the cause, so that our charge of prisoners was much 
reduced. 

" I had yet sent no message to the Indian tribes, wishing to 
wait to see what effect all this would have on them. The Pianke- 
shaws, being of the tribe of Tobacco's Son, were also familiar with 
us. Part of the behavior of this grandee, as he viewed himself, 
was diverting enough. He had conceived such an inviolable at- 
tachment for Captain Helm that on finding that the captain was a 
prisoner, and not being as yet able to release him, he declared him- 
self a prisoner also. He joined his brother, as he called Captain 
Helm, and continually kept with him, condoling their condition as 
prisoners in great distress, at the same time wanting nothing that 
was in the power of the garrison to furnish. Lieutenant-Governor 
Hamilton, knowing the influence of Tobacco's Son, was extremely 
jealous of his behavior, and took every pains to gain him by pres- 
ents, etc. When anything was presented to him, his reply would 
be that it would serve him and his brother to live on. He would 
not enter into council, saying that he was a prisoner and had 
nothing to say ; but was in hopes that when the grass grew his 
brother, the Big Knife, would release him, and when he was free he 
could talk, etc. In short, they could do nothing with him ; and the 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 395 

moment he heard of our arrival he paraded all the warriors he had 
in his village (joining Post Vincennes), and was ready to fall in and 
attack the fort, but for reasons formerly mentioned, he was desired 
to desist. 

"On the 15th of March, 1779, a party of upper Piankeshaws 
and some Pottawattamie and Miami chiefs made their appearance, 
making great protestations of their attachment to the Americans ; 
begged that they might be taken under the cover of our wings, 
and that the roads through the lands might be made straight, and 
all the stumbling-blocks removed, aud that our friends, the neigh- 
boring nations, might also be considered in the same point of view. 
I well knew from what principle all this sprung; and, as I had 
Detroit now in my eye, it was my business to make a straight and 
clear road for myself to walk, without thinking much of their 
interest or anything else but that of opening the road in earnest, 
by flattery, deception or any other means that occurred. I told 
them that I was glad to see them, and was happy to learn that 
most of the nations on the Wabash and Omi [Maumee] rivers had 
proved themselves to be men by adhering to the treaties they had 
made with the Big Knife last fall, except a few weak minds that 
had been deluded by the English to come to war ; that I did not 
know exactly who they were, nor much cared, but understood they 
were a band chiefly composed of almost all the tribes (such people 
were to be found among all nations) ; but as these kind of people, 
who had the meanness to sell their country for a shirt, were not wor- 
thy of the attention of warriors, we would say no more about them, 
and think on subjects more becoming us. I told them that I should 
let the great council of Americans know of their good behavior, 
and knew that they would be counted as friends of the Big Knife, 
and would be always under their protection and their country 
secured to them, as the Big Knife had land enough and did not 
want any more. * * * 

" Things being now pretty well arranged, Lieutenant Richard 
Brashear was appointed to the command of the garrison, which 
consisted of Lieutenants Bay ley and Chapline, with forty picked 
men ; Captain Leonard Helm, commandant of the town, superin- 
tendent of Indian affairs, etc. ; Moses Henry, Indian agent, and 
Patrick Kennedy, quartermaster. Giving necessary instruction to 






396 CHEONOLOGICAL KECOKDS. 

all persons that I left in office, on the 20th of March I set sail on 
board of our galley, which was now made perfectly complete, at- 
tended by five armed boats and seventy men. The waters being 
very high, we soon reached the Mississippi ; and, the winds favoring 
us, in a few days we arrived safely at Kaskaskia, to the great joy 
of our new friends, Captain George and company waiting to re- 
ceive us. 

"On our passage up the Mississippi we had observed several 
Indian camps which appeared to us fresh, but had been left in 
great confusion. This we could not account for, but were now in- 
formed that a few days past a party of Delaware warriors came to 
town, and appeared to be very impudent ; that in the evening, 
having been drinking, they said they had come there for scalps and 
would have them, and flashed a gun at the breast of an American 
woman present. A sergeant and party that moment passing by the 
house, saw the confusion and rushed in. The Indians immediately 
fled. The sergeant pursued and killed [ ] of them. A party 
was instantly sent to rout their camps on the river. This was exe- 
cuted the day before we came up, which was the sign we had seen. 

" Part of the Delaware nation had settled a town at the forks 
of the White river, and hunted in the countries on the Ohio and 
Mississippi. They had, on our first arrival, hatched up a kind of 
peace with us ; but I always knew they were for open war, but 
never before could get a proper excuse for exterminating them from 
the country, which I knew they would be loth to leave, and that 
the other Indians wished them away, as they were great hunters 
and killed up all their game. A few days after this Captain 
Helm informed me, by express, that a party of traders who were 
going by land to the falls, were killed and plundered by the Dela- 
wares of White river; and that it appeared that their designs were 
altogether hostile, as they had received a belt from the great coun- 
cil of their nation. I was sorry for the loss of our men, otherwise 
pleased at what had happened, as it would give me an opportunity 
of showing the other Indians the horrid fate of those who would 
dare to make war on the Big Knife ; and to excel them in barbar- 
ity I knew was, and is, the only way to make war and gain a name 
among the Indians. I immediately sent orders to Post Vincennes 
to make war on the Delawares ; to use every means in their power 



CHBONOLOGICAL EECOKDS. 397 

to destroy them ; to show no kind of mercy to the men, but to 
spare the women and children. This order was executed without 
delay; their camps were attacked in every quarter where they 
could be found ; many fell, and others were brought to Post Vin- 
cennes and put to death, the women and children secured, etc. 
They immediately applied for reconciliation, but were informed 
that I had ordered the war * * * and that they dare not lay 
down the tomahawk without permission from me; but that if the 
Indians were agreed, no more blood should be spilled until an ex- 
press should go to Kaskaskia, which was immediately sent. I re- 
fused to make peace with the Delawares, and let them know that 
we never trusted those who had once violated their faith, but if 
they had a mind to be quiet they might; and if they could get any 
of the neighboring Indians to be security for their good behavior, 
I would let them alone ; but that I cared very little about it, etc. ; 
privately directing Captain Helm how to manage. 

"A council was called of all the Indians in the neighborhood. 
My answer was made public. The Piankeshaws took on them- 
selves to answer for the future good conduct of the Delawares, and 
the Tobacco's Son, in a long speech, informed them of the baseness 
of their conduct, and how richly they had deserved the severe 
blow they had met with ; that he had given them permission to 
settle that country, but not to kill his friends; that they now saw 
the Big Knife had refused to make peace with them, but that he 
had become surety for their good conduct, and that they might go 
and mind their hunting, and that if they ever did any more mis- 
chief — pointing to the sacred bow that he held in his hand — which 
was as much as to say that he himself would for the future chas- 
tise them. Thus ended the war between us and the Delawares in 
this quarter, much to our advantage, as the nations about said that 
we were as brave as the Indians, and not afraid to put an enemy 
to death. 

"June being the time for the rendezvous at Post Vincennes, 
every exertion was made in procuring provisions of every species, 
and making other preparations. I received an express from Ken- 
tucky, wherein Colonel [John] Bowman informed me that he could 
furnish three hundred good men. We were now going on in high 
spirits, and daily expecting troops down the Tennessee, when, on 



398 CHEONOLOGICAL KECOKDS. 

the , we were surprised at the arrival of Colonel Montgom- 
ery with one hundred and fifty men only — which was all we had a 
right to expect from that quarter in a short time, as the recruiting 
business went on but slowly — and, for the first time, we learned 
the fall of our paper money. 

" Things immediately put on a different appearance. We now 
lamented that we did not march from Post Yincennes to Detroit, but 
as we had a prospect of a considerable reinforcement from Kentucky, 
we yet flattered ourselves that something might be done, at least 
we might manoeuver in such a manner as to keep the enemy in hot 
water and in suspense, and prevent their doing our frontiers much 
damage. We went on with procuring supplies, * and did not yet 
lose sight of our object, and, in order to feel the pulse of the en- 
emy, I detached Major , who had lately joined us, and a com- 
pany of volunteers, up the Illinois river under the pretense of 
visiting our friends. He was instructed to cross the country and call 
at the Wea towns, and then proceed to Post Vincennes, making his 
observations on the route. This, we expected, would perfectly cover 
our designs, and, if we saw it prudent, we might, on his return, 
proceed. Early in June, Colonel Montgomery was dispatched, by 
water, with the whole of our stores. Major [Joseph] Bowman 
marched the remainder of our troops by land. Myself, with a 
party of horse, reached Post Yincennes in four days, where the 
whole safely arrived in a short time after. 

"Instead of three hundred men from Kentucky, there appeared 
about thirty volunteers, commanded by Captain McGary. The 
loss of the expedition was too obvious to hesitate about it. Colonel 

* " There is one circumstance very distressing, that of our money's being dis- 
credited, to all intents and purposes, by the great number of traders who come here 
in my absence, each outbidding the other, giving prices unknown in this country 
by five hundred per cent., by which the people conceived it to be of no value, and 
both French and Spaniards refused to take a farthing of it. Provision is three 
times the price it was two months past, and to be got by no other means than my 
own bonds, goods or force. Several merchants are now advancing considerable 
sums of their own property, rather than the service should suffer, by which I am 
sensible they must lose greatly, unless some method is taken to raise the credit of 
our coin, or a fund to be sent to Orleans for the payment of the expenses of this 
place." [Letter dated " Kaskaskia, April 29, 1779," from Colonel G. E. Clark to 
the governor of Virginia. Jefferson's Correspondence, i. 454.] 



CHEONOLOGICAL EECOEDS. 399 

[John] Bowman had turned his attention against the Shawanee 
towns and got repulsed and his men discouraged. 

"The business, from the first, had been so conducted as to 
make no disadvantageous impression on the enemy in case of a dis- 
appointment, as they could never know whether we really had a 
design on Detroit, or only a finesse to amuse them, which latter 
would appear probable. Arranging things to the best advantage 
was now my principal study. The troops were divided between 
Post Vincennes, Kaskaskia, Cahokia and the falls of Ohio. Col- 
onel Montgomery was appointed to the command of the Illinois ; 
Major Bowman to superintend the recruiting business ; a number 
of officers were appointed to that service; and myself to take up 
my quarters at the falls, as the most convenient spot to have an 
eye over the whole. " 

In the spring of the year 1779, Colonel John Todd, who bore 
the commission of county lieutenant for the county of Illinois, 
visited the old settlements at Vincennes and Kaskaskia for the 
purpose of organizing among the inhabitants of those places forms 
of temporary government, according to the provisions of the act 
of the General Assembly of Virginia, of October, 1778. On the 
15th of June, 1779, the following proclamation, concerning the 
settlement and titles of lands on the borders of the rivers Missis- 
sippi, Ohio, Illinois and Wabash, was published by Colonel Todd : 

" Illinois [County] to-wit : 

" Whereas, From the fertility and beautiful situation of the 
lands bordering upon the Mississippi, Ohio, Illinois and Wabash 
rivers, the taking up of the usual quantity of land heretofore al- 
lowed for a settlement by the government of Virginia would 
injure both the strength and commerce of this country, I do there- 
fore, issue this proclamation, strictly enjoining all persons whatso- 
ever from making any new settlements upon the flat lands of the 
said rivers, or within one league of said lands, unless in manner 
and form of settlements as heretofore made by the French inhabit- 
ants, until further orders herein given. And, in order that all the 
claims to lands in said county may be fully known, and some method 
provided for perpetuating, by record, the just claims, every inhab- 
itant is required, as soon as conveniently may be, to lay before the 



400 CHEONOLOGICAL KECOEDS. 

person, in each district, appointed for that purpose, a memorandum 
of his or her land, with copies of all their vouchers; and where 
vouchers have never been given, or are lost, such depositions or 
certificates as will tend to support their claims ; the memorandum 
to mention the quantity of land, to whom originally granted, and 
when, deducing the title through the various occupants to the 
present possessor. The number of adventurers who will shortly 
overrun this country renders the above method necessary, as well 
to ascertain the vacant lands, as to guard against trespasses which 
will probably be committed on lands not on record. Given under 
my hand and seal, at Kaskaskia, the 15th of June, in the third year 
of the commonwealth, 1779. John Todd, Jr." 

1779. Settlement of boundary question between Pennsylvania 
and Virginia. 

1779. Fort Laurens, on the Tuscarawas river, besieged by 
Indians in January. The fort was abandoned in August. 

1779. Colonel Archibald Lochry, "county lieutenant of West- 
moreland county, Pennsylvania," lived at his house on " Twelve 
Mile Run." 

1779. Settlement founded at Bryant's Station, in Kentucky, 
at a place about five miles northeast of the present site of Lexing- 
ton, where a block-house was finished early in April. (?) 

1779. In June a court of civil and criminal jurisdiction was 
established at Yincennes, by John Todd, who acted under the au- 
thority of Virginia. 

1779. Settlement commenced at the site of Louisville, in Ken- 
tucky. 

1779. A letter written at Pittsburg, by Colonel Daniel Brod- 
head, on the 24th of June, 1779, says : " Lieutenant-colonel Bay- 
ard, with one hundred and twenty rank and file, is now employed 
in erecting a stockade fort at Kittanning, which will effectually se- 
cure the frontiers of Westmoreland and Bedford counties, provided 
scouts are employed according to my directions." The fort, when 
erected, was called Fort Armstrong. 

1779. The boatmen and soldiers in charge of two keel boats, 



CHKONOLOGICAL EECOEDS. 401 

laden with military stores, bound from New Orleans to Pittsburg, 
and commanded by Major Rogers, were attacked by about six hun- 
dred Indians near the mouth of Licking river, in Kentucky. Major 
Rogers and about forty-five of the men under his command were 
slain. The escape of Captain Robert Benham and his compan- 
ion was a remarkable event. 

1779. Colonel Brodhead orders the destruction of the cabins 
of trespassers on Indian lands, and the arrest of such trespassers. 

1779. In June, 1779, Col. John Bowman, of Kentucky, led 
;an expedition, consisting of about three hundred men, against the 
Indian villages on the borders of the Little Miami river. The ex- 
pedition lost eight or nine men killed in making an unsuccessful 
attack on an Indian village. 

1779. A letter from Col. Archibald Lochry to President 
Reed, of Pennsylvania, dated " Hannastown, May 1, 1779," says : 
"You desire, sir, in your letter [to know] if the inhabitants on 
the frontiers would desire a reward on Indian scalps. I have con- 
sulted with a number on this head, who all seem of opinion that a 
reward for scalps would be of excellent use at this time, and would 
give spirit and alacrity to our young men, and make it to their in- 
terest to be constantly on the scout." [Pennsylvania Archives 
(1779), p. 362.] 

1779. A letter from President Reed to Col. Brodhead, says: 
" We have sounded Congress and the General [Washington] about 
giving a reward for scalps, but there is so evident a reluctance on 
the subject, and an apprehension that it may be improved by our 
enemies to a national reproach, that at present we can not venture 
to make any authoritative offers ; but as we have great confidence 
in your judgment and discretion, must leave it to you to act therein 
as they shall direct." [Pennsylvania Archives (1779), 569.] 

1779. A sword was voted to Col. George Rogers Clark by the 
General Assembly of Virginia. 

1779. A large number of families removed from the interior 
of Virginia to Kentucky in the course of the autumn of 1779. 

26 






402 CHKONOLOGICAL KECORDS. 

1779. The first English settlement at the site of Nashville, 
Tennessee, was made by James Robertson and others, in the win- 
ter of 1779-'80. 

1780. In the spring of 1780 three hundred large "family 
boats " arrived at the falls of the Ohio river, bearing emigrants 
from Virginia, Pennsylvania, etc. 

1780. Extract from an act of the General Assembly of Vir- 
ginia, of 1780: 

"And whereas, a good printing press, well provided with 
proper materials, is indispensably necessary for the right informa- 
tion of the people, be it enacted, that the governor, with the ad- 
vice of council, be authorized, and he is hereby authorized and 
empowered to engage with and employ at the public expense and 
for the public service a good and able printer of firm and known 
attachment to the independence of the United States, who may be 
willing to bring a good and well provided press into this common- 
wealth." [Hening's Statutes, vol. x. p. 313.] 

1780. In the spring of 1780 a strong force, composed princi- 
pally of Indians, and commanded by Captain Byrd, set out from 
Detroit and destroyed Martin's and RuddelFs stations, near Lick- 
ing river, in Kentucky. The Indians killed a few prisoners and 
carried a small number into captivity. 

1780. In July, General George Rogers Clark, at the head of 
about one thousand men, marched from the place of rendezvous at 
the mouth of the Licking river, and destroyed several Indian vil- 
lages which were found on the borders of the Little Miami river. 
The Piqua town, on the Great Miami, was also destroyed. The 
loss of the whites killed was about nineteen. 

1780. Fort Jefferson established on the left bank of the Mis- 
sissippi river, about five miles below the mouth of the Ohio. 

1780. On the 18th of April, 1780, it was resolved by Con- 
gress " that six blank commissions be sent to Colonel Brodhead, 
commanding officer at Fort Pitt, to be filled up with the names of 
such faithful Indians of the Delaware tribe as he shall judge to be 
deserving of that honor; but no rank to be given to any of them 
higher than that of captain. " [Journals of Congress, iii. p. 449.] 






CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 403 

1780. The town of Louisville, Kentucky, was established by 
an act of the General Assembly of Virginia. 

1780. Large grants of land made, without authority, by the 
court at Vincennes. 

1780. In the fall of 1780 an officer named La Balme made 
an attempt to lead an expedition from Kaskaskia against Detroit. 
He was joined by a few men at Vincennes. From this point he 
moved up the Wabash river and arrived at a trading post which 
stood at the head of the Maumee river. After plundering the 
British traders and some of the half-breed Indians, he retired from 
the post, and encamped on the banks of the small river Aboite. 
The encampment was attacked in the night by a party of Miami 
Indians. La Balme and about thirty of his followers were killed ; 
others fled in confusion, and the expedition was broken up. 

1780. The Illinois Land Company and the Wabash Land 
Company were united. 

1780. A letter dated "Washington county, Pennsylvania, 
July 27, 1781," says: "The Indians through the course [of the 
summer of 1780] were exceedingly troublesome, and butchered up 
many of the defenseless frontiers." 

1780. Extract from " Eecords of Land Entries in Kentucky, 
1780:" "George Smith enters five hundred acres of land on a 
treasury warrant, lying on the north side of Kentucky, a mile 
below a creek, beginning about twenty poles below a lick running 
down the river westerly and northwestwardly for quantity." [Mar- 
shall's History of Kentucky, i. p. 150.] 

1781. April 17, in a letter addressed to President Eeed, Col. 
Lochry, of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, said : " The sav- 
ages have begun their hostilities. Since I came from Philadelphia 
they have struck us in four different places; have taken and killed 
thirteen persons, with a number of horses and other effects of the 
inhabitants. Two of the unhappy people were killed one mile 
from Hannastown. Our country is worse depopulated than ever it 
has been. * * * Our situation at present is very deplorable, 
and if the savages were acquainted with our weakness they may 



404 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

easily drive the people over the Youghiogheny." [Pennsylvania 
Archives.] 

1781. Early in April Colonel Brodhead, with about three 
hundred men, moved from Pittsburg, left the Ohio river at Wheel- 
ing and marched to attack certain Indian towns on the borders of 
the Muskingum river. Two or three towns were destroyed, about 
fifteen Indian warriors killed, "and upwards of twenty old men, 
women and children " taken as prisoners. Referring to this ex- 
pedition, Colonel Brodhead says : " The plunder brought in by 
the troops sold for about eighty thousand pounds at Fort Henry 
[Wheeling]." * * * "The troops behaved with great spirit, 
and although there was considerable firing between them and the 
Indians, I had not a man killed or wounded and only one horse 
shot." * * * "The troops experienced great kindness from 
the Moravian Indians and those at Newcomer's Town, and obtained 
a sufficient supply of meat and corn to subsist the men to the Ohio 
river." [Pennsylvania Archives (1781-1783), p. 162.] 

1781. The mode of surveying and disposing of public lands by 
townships and acres was recommended by "a citizen of Philadel- 
phia," in an essay dated February 17, 1781. [London Remem- 
brances (for 1782), p. 276.] 

1781. The old post and missionary station on the river St. 
Joseph, of Lake Michigan, was captured by a detachment of Span- 
iards who marched from St. Louis under the command of Don 
Eugenio Pierre. 

1781. A party of Chickasaw Indians made an attack on Fort 
Jefferson, which stood on the left bank of the Mississippi, about 
five miles below the mouth of the Ohio. 

1781. Memorandum of some of the principal inhabitants of 
Washington county, Pennsylvania, in 1781 : James Edgar, Dan- 
iel Leet, John Reid, Joseph Parkerson, John Armstrong, Abraham 
Howell, James Brice, Van Swearingen, John Canon, Richard 
Yeates, Isaac Israel, James Allison, B. Johnston, John McDowell, 
George W. Harmick, Thomas Crook, Demas Liudsly, George 
Myers. 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 405 

1781. Robert Wooster was a local Methodist preacher in west- 
ern Pennsylvania as early as 1781. He sometimes preached in the 
western parts of Virginia. Redstone circuit, in 1784, included a 
large district of country in which Pittsburg was the principal town. 
The Reverend Charles Conway was the first preacher appointed to 
the Redstone circuit. Bishop Asbury preached at Pittsburg in 
1789. [Simpson's Cyclopedia of Methodism, 720-937.] 

1781. In a letter written on the 17th of March, 1781, by 
Joseph Reed, president of " the Supreme Executive Council of 
Pennsylvania," and addressed to Colonel Archibald Lochry, of 
Westmoreland county, the following passage appears: 

" It is with much concern we observe, as we have formerly 
done, that when troops are raised for your protection they are per- 
mitted to loiter away their time at the taverns or straggling about 
the country ; and in some instances, we fear, there has been great 
negligence in the officers to whose command they were entrusted. 
The interior counties have so long borne this expense that they 
are becoming impatient under it; and you can not serve your 
country more essentially or do yourself more credit than by care- 
fully attending to the expenditures of public money and causing 
those who are in public service to perform it with industry and 
fidelity." [Pennsylvania Archives, 1781-1783, p. 18.] 

1781. On the 23d of March, 1781, General George Rogers 
Clark addressed the following letter to the governor of Pennsyl- 
vania : 

" Dear Sir : Though unacquainted, I take the liberty of writ- 
ing to your excellency on a subject I hope will concern you so 
much as to honor my proposition. I make no doubt that you are 
fully acquainted with the design of the enterprise. I am ordered 
to command of the greatest consequence to the frontiers of Penn- 
sylvania and Virginia. If our resources should not be such as to 
enable us to remain in the Indian country during the fair season, I 
am in hopes they will be sufficient to visit the Shawanees, Dela- 
wares and Sandusky town ; defeating the enemy and laying those 
countries waste would give great ease to the frontiers of both 
states, whom I think equally interested ; but, sir, nothing great can 
be expected without the assistance of numbers of men from the 






406 CHEONOLOGICAL KECOKDS. 

country on this side of the Laurel hill. Many living within the 
boundary of Pennsylvania are willing to go on the expedition. 
Many more would if it was not for a timid, simple disposition, 
fearing it would disoblige your excellency and council; at least 
they make use of such arguments as an excuse. Others, alter- 
nately shifting from one state to the other, screen themselves from 
any military duty that might be required of them; but as I am con- 
fident from the nature of the intended expedition, you would wish 
to give it every aid in your power, I hope, sir, that you will 
inform the inhabitants on this side of the mountain that such is 
your sentiment. They are fully able to spare five hundred men, 
and I don't think they could be better employed to the advantage 
of themselves or country. I should have solicited the governor of 
Virginia to have made this request of you, but the want of time 
for it to go through that channel, and confident of its meeting with 
your approbation, induced me to do it myself. 

"I hope, sir, that you will honor me with an immediate answer 
per express, as it is of the greatest consequence to us, and that the 
fate of the Indians at present appears to depend on the resolutions 
you may take." [Pennsylvania Archives, 1781, p. 23.] 

1781. In the summer of 1781, Col. Archibald Lochry, of 
Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, raised a corps of about one 
hundred men, who embarked in boats at Wheeling, in order to 
join the troops under the command of Gen. George .Rogers Clark, 
at the falls of the Ohio. On the 24th of August, at a point that 
lies a short distance below the mouth of the Great Miami river, a 
large party of Indians attacked Lochry's party, killed about forty of 
the men, tomahawked Colonel Lochry and carried about sixty men 
into the Indian country as prisoners. Some of these captives were 
taken to Detroit, and, after the lapse of some time, were exchanged 
or released from captivity. A letter written by Col. Lochry, at 
" Miraile's Mill, Westmoreland county," on the 4th of August, 
1781, and addressed to President Heed, contains the following 
statements: "I am now on my march with Captain Stokeley's 
company of rangers and about fifty volunteers from this county. 
We shall join General Clark at Fort Henry, on the Ohio river, 
where his army has lain for some weeks past, as it was most ex- 



CHEONOLOGICAL EECOKDS. 407 

pedient to have the boats there, the water being deeper from that 
to where he intends going than from Fort Pitt there. I expected 
to have had a number more volunteers, but they have, by some 
insinuations, been hindered from going. Our rangers have been 
very ill supplied with provisions, as there has been no possibility 
of procuring meat, particularly as our money has not been in the 
best credit. We have generally had flour, but as I have kept the 
men constantly scouting, it is hard for them to be without meat." 
[Pennsylvania Archives (1781), p. 333.] 

1781. A letter written by General William Irvine, at "Fort 
Pitt," on the 3d of December, 1781, and addressed to President 
Reed, says: "I am sorry to inform your excellency that this 
country has got a severe stroke by the loss of Colonel Lochry and 
about one hundred, it is said, of the best men of Westmoreland 
county, including Captain Stokeley and his company of rangers. 
They were going down the Ohio on General Clark's expedition. 
Many accounts agree that they were all killed or taken at the 
mouth of the Miami river, I believe chiefly killed. This misfor- 
tune, added to the failure of General Clark's expedition, has filled 
the people with great dismay ; many talk of retiring to the east 
side of the mountain early in the spring. Indeed, there is great 
reason to apprehend that the savages, and, perhaps, the British 
from Detroit, will push us hard in the spring, and I believe there 
never were posts nor a country in a worse state of defense ; not- 
withstanding I am well informed there has been sundry meetings 
of people at different places, for the purpose of concerting plans to 
emigrate into the Indian country, there to establish a government 
for themselves. What the result of their meetings were I can not 
say ; and, as I do not intend to interfere in civil matters, have not 
taken any notice of the affair. From what observations I have 
been able to make I am of opinion there is many obvious reasons 
that no time should be lost in running the line between Virginia 
and Pennsylvania." [Pennsylvania Archives, p. 458.] 

1781. Boundaries of Washington county, Pennsylvania, laid 
out. 

1781. The Indian "Big Foot" was killed by Andrew Poe on 






408 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

the border of the Ohio river, about two miles below the mouth of 
Yellow creek. 

1781. October 19, surrender of the British forces under Corn- 
wallis, at Yorktown, Virginia. The first article of the terms of 
capitulation declares that the surrender was made to " the combined 
forces of America and France." 

1782. A letter written by General Irvine at Fort Pitt, on the 
30th of March, 1782, and addressed to General Washington, says: 
" Civil authority is by no means properly established in this country, 
which, I doubt not, proceeds, in some degree, from inattention in 
the executives of Virginia and Pennsylvania not running the 
boundary line ; which is, at present, an excuse for neglect of duty 
of all kinds, for at least twenty miles on each side of the line." 
[Old Redstone Presbytery, p. 34.] 

1782. The town of Washington, in Washington county, Penn- 
sylvania, was laid out by John Hoge and William Hoge, at a place 
which was known as the camp of an Indian named Catfish. 

1782. March 8th, the towns of the Moravian Indians on the 
Muskingum river were destroyed by a party consisting of about 
eighty-five mounted men, principally volunteers from the western 
part of Pennsylvania under the command of Col. David Williamson. 
About ninety-six unresisting Indians were massacred. Among these 
were twenty women and thirty-four children. Eighteen of Wil- 
liamson's men wished to spare the lives of these Indians. The 
villages and the mangled bodies of the slaughtered Indians were 
burned. 

1782. A letter written by Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Cook, 
of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, on the 2d of September, 
1782, and addressed to President William Moore, says : " The 
savages have been tolerable these few weeks past. What they are 
about we can not determine. I am informed that you have it re- 
ported that the massacre of the Moravian Indians obtain the ap- 
probation of every man on this side of the mountains, which I 
assure your excellency is false ; that the better part of the commu- 
nity are of opinion the perpetrators of that wicked deed ought to 
be brought to condign punishment; that without something is done 



CHEONOLOGICAL KECOKDS. 409 

by government in the matter it will disgrace the annals of the 
United States, and be an everlasting plea and cover for British 
cruelty." [Pennsylvania Archives, p. 629.] 

1782. March 22d, Captain James Estill, with a party of twenty- 
five men, was defeated by Indians near the Little Mountain, in 
Kentucky. Estill and nine of his men were killed. 

1782. July — , Hannastown, Pennsylvania, attacked and 
burned, except two houses, by a party composed of Indians and 
some white men. "About twenty of the inhabitants killed and 
taken. About one hundred head of cattle and a number of horses 
and hogs killed." [Pennsylvania Archives (1781-1783), p. 596.] 

1782. In the latter part of the month of May, 1782, about 
four hundred and eighty mounted volunteers from the western 
parts of Pennsylvania and Virginia, under the command of Col. 
William Crawford, crossed the Ohio river about two miles below 
the place where Steubenville stands, and marched into the Indian 
country for the purpose of destroying the Moravian and Wyandot 
villages on the river Sandusky. On reaching the plains near 
Upper Sandusky the force under Crawford was attacked by the 
Indians and compelled to retreat in disorder, after suffering a loss 
of about one hundred men. Colonel Crawford was captured, tor- 
tured and burned to death. This officer entered the revolutionary 
army in 1776, and resigned his command in 1781. 

1782. August 15 (?), Bryant's Station, in Kentucky, besieged 
by a large body of Indians, under command of Simon Girty. 
This station, which contained about forty cabins and forty or fifty 
men, was situated on the southern bank of Elkhorn, and on the 
left of the road that now leads from Lexington to Maysville. The 
Indians besiged the place from sunrise on the 15th till about ten 
o'clock the next day, when they marched off with a loss of about 
thirty warriors killed and wounded. The loss of the whites was 
four men killed and three wounded. A party of one hundred and 
eighty-two (?) mounted men was soon collected, and this small 
number of volunteers, under the command of Colonel John Todd, 
pursued the Indians and overtook them at the Lower Blue Licks, 
on Licking river. At this place, on the 19th of August, a battle 



410 CHKONOLOGICAL KECOKDS. 

was fought in which the Kentuckians were defeated with the loss 
of sixty men killed and seven taken prisoners. Colonel John 
Todd, Major Trigg, Major Harland and Captain McBride were 
among the slain. The loss of the Indians has not been recorded 
with any degree of certainty. 

1782. On the 4th of November, 1782, about one thousand 
Kentucky militia, under the command of General George Rogers 
Clark, crossed the Ohio near the mouth of Licking river, and 
marched into the Indian country, for the purpose of destroying the 
villages on the borders of the Great Miami and Little Miami riv- 
ers. A statement made by General Clark says : " The property 
destroyed was of great amount, and the quantity of provisions 
burned surpassed all ideas we had of the Indian stores. The loss 
of the enemy was ten scalps, seven prisoners, and two whites re- 
taken. Ours was one killed and one wounded." * * * « Finding 
all attempts to bring the enemy to a general action fruitless, we 
retired, as the season was far advanced and the weather threaten- 
ing." 

1782. November 30, provisional articles of peace between the 
United States of America and Great Britain were signed at Paris. 

1782. Dillie's blockhouse, a small stockade, stood on the right 
bank of the Ohio river, opposite the mouth of Big Grave creek. 

1782. Fort Nelson was built at Louisville, Kentucky. 

1782. A letter written by Colonel Christopher Hays, and 
dated u Westmoreland county [Pa.], September 20, 1782, says: 
"Last Thursday week between five and six hundred Indians made 
their appearance at Wheeling fort, and killed several. * 9 

1783. Extract from records of comptroller-general's office of 
Pennsylvania, March 21, 1783: "There is due to Alexander 
Wright and William Minor, each, the sum of twelve pounds ten 
shillings specie, amounting to twenty-five pounds, agreeable to a 
proclamation of council, for two Indian scalps taken per the within 
certificates." [Pennsylvania Colonial Records, xii. 538.] 

1783. On the "4th of the tenth month, five hundred and 
thirty-eight members of the Society of Friends or Quakers, at a 



CHKONOLOGICAL KECOKDS. 411 

yearly meeting in Philadelphia, signed an ' address to the United 
States in Congress assembled/ asking that body to discourage and 
prevent the continuance of the slave trade." [Remembrances for 
the year 1784, p. 94.] 

1783. Town of Danville, Kentucky, laid out. 

1783. Florida, having been held by Great Britain since the 
year 1763, was retroceded to Spain by treaty of September 3, 1783. 

1783. Francis Clark, a local Methodist preacher in the vicin- 
ity of Danville, Kentucky, organized the first Methodist class in 
the regions west of the Allegheny mountains. [Collins* Kentucky.] 

1783. April 11, proclamation of Congress declaring a cessa- 
tion of hostilities between the United States of America and Great 
Britain. 

1783. An act was passed in October, 1783, by the General As- 
sembly of Virginia, for laying off the town of Clarksville, on the 
right bank of the river at falls of the Ohio, in the county of Illi- 
nois. The act provided that the lots, of half an acre each, should 
be sold at public auction for the best price that could be had. 
The purchasers respectively were to hold their lots subject to the 
condition of building on each, within three years from the day of 
sale, a dwelling house, " twenty feet by eighteen, at least, with a 
brick or stone chimney." William Fleming, John Edwards, 
John Campbell, Walker Daniel, George R. Clark, Abraham Chap- 
lin, John Montgomery, John Bailey, Robert Todd and William 
Clark, were, by the act of the Assembly, constituted trustees of the 
town of Clarksville. 

1783. The county of Fayette, in Pennsylvania, organized. 

1783. Definitive treaty between the United States and Great 
Britain signed at Paris, September 3. 

1783. In 1783 there were one hundred and forty-four " heads 
of families" at Vincennes. 

1783. General George Rogers Clark, on his arrival at Rich- 
mond, Virginia, in 1783, addressed the following letter to Gov- 
ernor Harrison: 









412 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

"Richmond, 21st May, 1783. 
" Sir : Nothing but necessity could induce me to make the fol- 
lowing request to your excellency, which is to grant me a small 
sum of money on account, as I can assure you, sir, that I am ex- 
ceedingly distressed for the want of necessary clothing, etc., and 
don't know of any channel through which I could procure any ex- 
cept that of the executive. The state, I believe, will fall consid- 
erable in my debt. Any supplies that your excellency favors me 
with might be deducted out of my accounts. I have the honor to 
be your excellency's obedient servant, G. R. Clark. 

. " His Excellency Governor Harrison. " 

1783. July 3d, General George Rogers Clark was discharged 
from the service of Virginia, on which occasion he received a very 
complimentary letter from the governor, Benjamin Harrison. The 
letter contained the following passages : (t The conclusion of the 
war, and the distressed situation of the state with respect to its 
finances, call on us to adopt the most prudent economy. It is for 
this reason alone I have come to a determination to give over all 
thoughts, for the present, of carrying on an offensive war against 
the Indians, which, you will easily perceive, will render the ser- 
vices of a general officer in that quarter unnecessary, and will, 
therefore, consider yourself as out of command ; but before I take 
leave of you I feel myself called upon, in the most forcible man- 
ner, to return to you my thanks, and those of my council, for the 
very great and singular services you have rendered your country, 
in wresting so great and valuable a territory out of the hands of 
the British enemy, repelling the attacks of their savage allies and 
carrying on a successful war in the heart of their country. This 
tribute of praise and thanks, so justly due, I am happy to commu- 
nicate to you as the united voice of the executive." 

1784. March 1, the state of Virginia, by a deed executed in 
Congress, relinquished all the claims of the state to the territory 
on the northwestern side of the Ohio river. The following is a 
copy of the Virginia deed of cession : 

" To all who shall see these presents : We, Thomas Jefferson, 
Samuel Hardy, Arthur Lee and James Monroe, the underwritten 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 413 

delegates for the commonwealth of Virginia, in the Congress of 
the United States of America, send greeting : 

" Whereas, The General Assembly of the commonwealth of 
Virginia, at their session begun on the 20th day of October, 1783, 
passed an act entitled 'an act to authorize the delegates of this 
state in Congress to convey to the United States, in Congress as- 
sembled, all the right of this commonwealth to the territory north- 
westward of the river Ohio/ in these words, to-wit: 

" Whereas, The Congress of the United States did, by their act 
of the 6th day of September, in the year 1780, recommend to the 
several states in the Union, having claims to waste and unappro- 
priated lands in the western country, a liberal cession to the United 
States of a portion of their respective claims for the common ben- 
efit of the Union ; and whereas, this commonwealth did, on the 2d 
day of January, in the year 1781, yield to the Congress of the 
United States, for the benefit of the said states, all right, title and 
claim which the said commonwealth had to the territory northwest 
of the river Ohio, subject to the conditions annexed to the said act 
of cession; and whereas, the United States, in Congress assembled, 
have, by their act of the 13th of September last, stipulated the 
terms on which they agree to accept the cession of this state, should 
the legislature approve thereof, which terms, although they do 
not come fully up to the propositions of this commonwealth, are 
conceived in the whole to approach so nearly to them as to induce 
this state to accept thereof, in full confidence that Congress will, 
in justice to this state, for the liberal cession she hath made, ear- 
nestly press upon the other states claiming large tracts of waste 
and uncultivated territory, the propriety of making cessions equally 
liberal for the common benefit and support of the Union ; be it 
enacted by the General Assembly, that it shall and may be lawful 
for the delegates of this state to the Congress of the United States, 
or such of them as shall be assembled in Congress, and the said 
delegates, or such of them so assembled, are hereby fully author- 
ized and empowered, for and on behalf of this state, by proper 
deed or instruments in writing, under their hands and seals, to con- 
vey, transfer, assign and make over unto the United States in Con- 
gress assembled, for the benefit of the said states, all right, title 
and claim, as well of soil as jurisdiction, which this common- 




414 CHKONOLOGICAL EECORDS. 

wealth hath to the territory or tract of country within the limits 
of the Virginia charter, situate, lying and being to the northwest 
of the river Ohio, subject to the terms and conditions contained in 
the before recited act of Congress of the 13th day of September 
last ; that is to say, upon condition that the territory so ceded shall 
be laid out and formed into states, containing a suitable extent of 
territory, not less than one hundred nor more than one hundred 
and fifty miles square, or as near thereto as circumstances will 
admit; and that the states so formed shall be distinct republican 
states and admitted members of the Federal Union, having the 
same rights of sovereignty, freedom and independence as the other 
states ; that the necessary and reasonable expenses incurred by this 
state in subduing any British posts, or in maintaining forts or gar- 
risons within, and for the defense, or in acquiring any part of the 
territory so ceded or relinquished, shall be fully reimbursed by the 
United States ; and that one commissioner shall be appointed by 
Congress, one by this commonwealth, and another by those two 
commissioners who, or a majority of them, shall be authorized 
and empowered to adjust and liquidate the account of the necessary 
and reasonable expenses incurred by this state, which they shall 
judge to be comprised within the intent and meaning of the act of 
Congress of the 10th of October, 1780, respecting such expenses; 
that the French and Canadian inhabitants, and other settlers of the 
Kaskaskias, St. Vincent's and the neighboring villages, who have 
professed themselves citizens of Virginia, shall have their possess- 
ions and titles confirmed to them and be protected in the enjoy- 
ment of their rights and liberties; that a quantity, not exceeding 
one hundred and fifty thousand acres of land, promised by this 
state,* shall be allowed and granted to then Colonel, now General 
George Rogers Clark, and to the officers and soldiers of his regi- 
ment who marched with him when the posts of Kaskaskia and St. 
Vincent's were reduced, and to the officers and soldiers that have 

* By the provisions of the acts of the General Assembly of Virginia, of the 3d 
of October, 1779, and 5th of October, 1780, the following land bounties were prom- 
ised to the officers and soldiers of Virginia, who should serve to the end of the rev- 
olutionary war, viz: To a major-general, 15,000 acres; to a brigadier-general, 
10,000 acres ; to a colonel, 6,666f acres ; to a lieutenant-colonel, 6,000 acres ; to a 
major, 5,666f acres ; to a captain, 4,000 acres ; to a subaltern, 2,666| acres ; to a 
non-commissioned officer, 400 acres ; to a soldier (private), 200 acres. 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 415 

been since incorporated into the said regiment, to be laid off in one 
tract, the length of which not to exceed double the breadth, in such 
place on the northwest side of the Ohio as a majority of the officers 
shall choose, and to be afterwards divided among the said officers 
and soldiers in due proportion, according to the laws of Virginia ; 
that in case the quantity of good lands on the southeast side of the 
Ohio, upon the waters of Cumberland river, and between the 
Green river and Tennessee river, which have been reserved by 
law for the Virginia troops upon continental establishment, should, 
from the North Carolina line bearing in further upon the Cumber- 
land lands than was expected, prove insufficient for their legal 
bounties, the deficiency should be made up to the said troops in 
good lands, to be laid off between the rivers Scioto and Little 
Miami, on the northwest side of the river Ohio, in such propor- 
tions as have been engaged to them by the laws of Virginia; that 
all the lands within the territory so ceded to the United States, 
and not reserved for or appropriated to any of the before men- 
tioned purposes, or disposed of in bounties to the officers and sol- 
diers of the American army, shall be considered as a common fund 
for the use and benefit of such of the United States as have be- 
come or shall become members of the confederation or federal alli- 
ance of the said states, Virginia inclusive, according to their usual 
respective proportions in the general charge and expenditure, and 
shall be faithfully and bona fide disposed of for that purpose, and 
for no other use or purpose whatsoever : Provided that the trust 
hereby reposed in the delegates of this state shall not be executed, 
unless three of them at least are present in Congress. 

"And, whereas, the said General Assembly, by their resolution 
of June 6th, 1783, had constituted and appointed us, the said 
Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Hardy, Arthur Lee and James Monroe, 
delegates to represent the said commonwealth in Congress for one 
year from the first Monday in November then next following, 
which resolution remains in full force : 

" Now, therefore, know ye that we, the said Thomas Jefferson, 
Samuel Hardy, Arthur Lee and James Monroe, by virtue of the 
power and authority committed to us by the act of the said General 
Assembly of Virginia, before recited, and in the name, and for 
and on behalf of the said commonwealth, do, by these presents, 



416 CHKONOLOGICAL EECOEDS. 

convey, transfer, assign and make over unto the United States, in 
Congress assembled, for the benefit of the said States, Virginia in- 
clusive, all right, title and claim, as well of soil as of jurisdiction, 
which the said commonwealth hath to the territory or tract of 
country within the limits of the Virginia charter, situate, lying 
and being to the northwest of the river Ohio, to and for the uses and 
purposes, and on the conditions of the said recited act. In testi- 
mony whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names and affixed 
our seals in Congress, the first day of March, in the year of our 
Lord 1784, and of the independence of the United States the 
eighth. " [Journals of Congress, March 1, 1784.] 

The states of New York, Massachusetts and Connecticut re- 
spectively claimed, by virtue of ancient royal charters, large ter- 
ritories lying west of the river Ohio, and northwest of the western 
boundary of Pennsylvania. These claims were transferred to the 
United States, Connecticut reserving a tract which was called the 
" Western Reserve." The jurisdictional claim of Connecticut to 
this tract was surrendered to the United States on the 30th of 
May, 1800. 

In pursuance of the recommendation contained in the resolu- 
tion of Congress of the 6th of September, 1780, the following 
states made cessions of territory to the United States at the dates 
respectively stated : 

New York, on March 1, 1781 ; Virginia, on March 1, 1784; 
Virginia, on December 30, 1788. By this act Virginia agreed to 
change the conditions of the act of cession of 1784, only so far as 
to ratify the 5th article of the compact or ordinance of 1787. 
Massachusetts, on April 19, 1785; Connecticut, on September 
14, 1786— confirmed May 30, 1800; South Carolina, on August 9, 
1787; North Carolina, on February 25, 1790; Georgia, on April 
24, 1802. [Hickey's Constitution of the United States, p. 422.] 

1784. A settlement was founded at Limestone (now Mays- 
ville, Kentucky). The site of this town was visited by Simon 
Kenton in 1775. 

1784. General James Wilkinson settled at Lexington, Ken- 
tucky, as a merchant. 

1784. In 1784 John Filson, a citizen of Kentucky, published 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 417 

a small volume entitled, "The Discovery, Settlement and Present 
State of Kentucky." In this work Filson says: "We may con- 
clude that Kentucky contains, at present, thirty thousand souls." 
* * * a j h ave heard a hunter assert he saw above one thou- 
sand buffaloes at the Blue Licks at once — so numerous were they 
before the first settlers had wantonly sported away their lives." 
*. * * " Now, we know, by experience, that forty tons of goods 
can not be taken to the falls of Ohio from Philadelphia under six 
hundred pounds expense." Filson's History of Kentucky was 
published at Wilmington, Delaware, in 1784. 

1784. Thomas J. Dalton, one of the officers of General Clark, 
held a council with the Piankeshaw Indians, at Vincennes, on the 
15th of April, 1784. At the close of the council the Piankeshaw 
chief said : " This being the day of joy to the Wabash Indians, 
we beg a little drop of your milk [that is, rum] to let our warriors 
see it came from your own breast. We were born and raised in 
the woods. We could never learn to make rum. God has made 
the white flesh masters of the world ; they make everything, and 
we all love rum." [Imlay, p. 367."| 

1785. January 21, a treaty was concluded, at Fort Mcintosh, 
between the United States and warriors of the Wyandot, Dela- 
ware, Chippewa and Ottawa tribes of Indians. 

1785. Before the commencement of the year 1785 western pio- 
neers in considerable numbers had made settlements on the north- 
western side of the river Ohio, and, on the 24th of January, 1785, 
the commissioners of Indian affairs in the west issued instructions 
to Lieutenant Colonel Josiah Harmar, from which the following is 
an extract: 

" Surveying or settling the lands not within the limits of any 
particular state being forbid by the United States in Congress 
assembled, the commandant will employ such force as he may judge 
necessary in driving off persons attempting to settle on the lands 
of the United States. 

"Given at Fort Mcintosh this 24th day of January, 1785. 
" [Signed] G. R. Clark. 

Richard Butler. " 
27 Arthur Lee." 



418 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

An account of the proceedings of Lieutenant-Colonel Harmar,, 
in discharging the duties which were imposed on him by this 
order, is given in unpublished letters which are on file among the 
archives of the national government. Copies of some of these 
letters are inserted in the following pages : 

Letter to Ensign Armstrong. 

Fort, McIntosh, March 29th, 1785. 
Sir: Having received intelligence that several persons, in 
defiance of the orders of Congress, have presumed to settle on 
the lands of the United States on the western side of the Ohio, 
about forty or fifty miles from here, you are hereby ordered to pro- 
ceed with your party as far down as opposite Wheeling and dis- 
possess the said settlers. At Wheeling you will have copies of the 
above instructions, which I received from the honorable the com- 
missioners for Indian affairs, and of these your orders, in order that 
all persons may be made fully acquainted therewith. 
I am, sir, your humble servant, 
[Signed] Jos. Harmar, 

Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant. 
To Ensign Armstrong. 

1785.— Letter from Ensign Armstrong to Lieutenant-Colonel Harmar. 

Fort McIntosh, 12th April, 1785. 

Sir: Agreeable to your orders I proceeded with my party 
early on the 31st of March down the river Ohio. On the 1st inst. 
we crossed Little Beaver, and dispossessed one family; four miles 
from thence we found three families living in sheds, but they hav- 
ing no craft to transport their effects, I thought proper to give 
them till the 12th inst., at which time they promised to demolish 
their sheds and move to the east side of the river. 

At Yellow creek dispossessed two families and destroyed their 
buildings. The 2d being stormy, no business could be done. The 
3d we dispossessed eight families. The 4th, arrived at Mingo Bot- 
tom or Old Town. 

I read my instructions to the prisoner Ross, who declared they 
never came from Congress, for he had late accounts from that hon- 
orable body, who, he was well convinced, gave no such instructions 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS, 419 

to the commissioners. Neither did he care from whom they came, 
for he was determined to hold his possession, and if I should de- 
stroy his house he would build six more in the course of a week. 
He also cast many reflections on the honorable the Congress, the 
commissioners and commanding officer. I conceived him to be a 
dangerous man; sent him under guard to Wheeling. Finding 
most of the settlers in this place were tenants under the prisoner, 
I gave them a few days, at which time they promised to move to 
the eastern side of the Ohio, and that they would demolish their 
buildings. 

On the evening of the 4th, Charles Norris, with a party of 
armed men, came to my quarters in a hostile manner and de- 
manded my instructions. After conversing with them for some 
time, and showing them my instructions, the warmth with which 
they first expressed themselves appeared to abate, and, from some 
motive, [they] lodged their arms with me till morning. 

I learnt from the conversation of the party that at Norris's 
Town (by them so-called), eleven miles further down the river, a 
party of seventy or eighty men were assembled with a determina- 
tion to oppose me. 

Finding Norris to be a man of influence in that country, I con- 
ceived it my interest to make use of him as an instrument, which 
I effected by informing him it was my intention to treat any armed 
party I saw as enemies to my country, and would fire on them if 
they did not disperse. 

On the 5th, when I arrived within two miles of the town or 
place where I expected to meet with opposition, I ordered my men 
to load their arms in presence of Norris, and then desired him to 
go to the party and inform them of my intentions. I then pro- 
ceeded on with caution, but had not got far before the paper No. 1 
was handed me by one of the party, to which I replied I should 
treat with no party, but intended to execute my orders. When I 
arrived at the town there were about forty men assembled who had 
deposited their arms. After I had read to them my instructions 
they agreed to move off by the 19th inst. This indulgence I 
thought proper to grant, the weather being too severe to turn 
them out of doors. 

The 6th I proceeded to Haglin's, or Menserstown, where I 



420 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

was presented with the paper No. 2, and from the humble and 
peaceable disposition of the people, and the impossibility of their 
moving off immediately, I gave them till the 19th, and believe 
they will generally leave the settlement at that time. 

At that place I was informed that Charles Norris and John 
Carpenter had been by the people elected justices of the peace ; 
that they had issued precepts and decided thereon. I then pro- 
ceeded on until opposite Wheeling, where I dispossessed one family 
and destroyed their building. I hope, sir, the indulgence granted 
to some of the inhabitants will meet your approbation. 

The paper No. 3 is an advertisement, a copy of which is posted 
up in almost every settlement on the western side of the Ohio. 

Three of my party being lame I left them about forty miles 
from this place, under the care of a corporal ; the remainder I have 
ordered to join their respective companies, and the prisoner I have 
delivered to the care of the garrison guard. 

I am, sir, with every respect, your obedient servant, 

John Armstrong, Ensign. 
Colonel Haemae. 

1785. — Letter from Ensign Armstrong to Lieutenant-Colonel Harmar. 

Fort McIntosh, 13th April, 1785. 

Sir: As the following information through you to the honora- 
ble the Congress may be of some service, I trust you will not be 
displeased therewith. 

It is the opinion of many sensible men (with whom I con- 
versed on my return from Wheeling), that if the honorable the 
Congress don 't fall on some speedy method to prevent people from 
settling on the lands of the United States west of the Ohio, that 
country will soon be inhabited by a banditti whose actions are a 
disgrace to human nature. You will, in a few days, receive an ad- 
dress from the magistracy of Ohio country, through which most of 
those people pass, many of whom are flying from justice. 

I have, sir, taken some pains to distribute copies of your in- 
structions, with those from the honorable the commissioners for 
Indian affairs, into almost every settlement west of the Ohio, and 
had them posted up at most public places on the east side of the 
river in the neighborhood through which those people pass. 



CHKONOLOGICAL BECORDS. 421 

Notwithstanding they have saw and read those instructions^ 
they are moving to the unsettled country by forties and fifties. 
From the best information I could receive, there are at the falls of 
Hockhocking upwards of three hundred families; at Muskingum 
a number equal; at the Moravian towns there are several families, 
and more than fifteen hundred on the rivers Miami and Scioto. 
From Wheeling to that place there is scarcely one bottom on the 
river but has one or more families living thereon. 

In consequence of the advertisement by John Amberson, I am 
assured meetings will be held at the times therein mentioned. 

That at Menser's or Haglinstown, mentioned in my report of 
yesterday, the inhabitants had come to a resolution to comply with 
the requisition of the advertisement. The supposed distance from 
this place to Wheeling, pursuing the river, is seventy miles. 

I am, sir, with due respect, your most obedient servant, 

John Armstrong, Ensign. 

Colonel Harmak. 

1785. — Petition of Thirty-six Settlers to Lieutenant Colonel Harmar. 

April 15th, 1785. 
Sir: Agreeable to the order we have received for removing 
off the lands to the west of the Ohio we are preparing to execute 
with the utmost diligence, but find it will be impracticable to en- 
tirely clear off the place according to our engagements with Ensign 
Armstrong when we received the orders, which, if you will conde- 
scend to take under your consideration, we make no doubt you 
will readily grant, for we have neither house nor lands to move to ; 
have every necessary to procure by our labor for the support of 
our families and stocks, for we have no money. Therefore, if you 
can, consistent with your honor, allow us a few weeks more to 
move off and prepare dwellings to move to, we shall greatly ac- 
knowledge the favor. We have sent a full representation of our 
distressed circumstances by way of petition to Congress, and what- 
ever orders and regulations they, in their wisdom, may think 
proper to prescribe we shall, as in duty bound, obey. Therefore, 
the farthest time we request is till we know the resolutions of 
Congress in regard to our petition ; which, if you grant our request, 
the favor of you to send us your pleasure and directions by the 



422 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 



bearer, Mr. James Cochran, which will be greatly acknowledged 
by your humble servants, the subscribers. 



John Cass Heman. 



Thos. Tilton. 
John Nixon. 
Henry Cassell. 
John Nowles. 
James Clark. 

His 
Adam [A. H.] Houpe. 

Mark. 

Thomas Johnson. 
Hananiah Davis. 
John Tilton. 
Jno. Fitzpatrick. 
Daniel Menser. 



Zephenia Dunn. 
John McDonald. 
Henry Forggs. 
William Haugland. 
Michael Rawlings. 
Thomas Dawsson. 
William Huff. 
Solomon Deling. 
Charles Nured. 
Fred'k Lamb. 
John Rigdon. 
George Atchison. 



Stanis Riley. 
Walter Cain. 
Jacob Light. 
Jos. Williams. 
William Wallace. 
Jos. Rebnon. 
John Massins. 
Wm. Mason. 
Wm. Kerr. 
David Duff. 
Joseph Ross. 
James Watson. 



1785. — Lieutenant-Colonel Harmar's Notice to Settlers. 

Fort McIntosh, April 21st, 1785. 
To all those persons who have settled on the lands of the United 
States, westward of the Ohio river, contrary to the orders of 
Congress : 
I have received your representation by James Cochran, and 
must inform you that my instructions are positive in driving off 
by force all persons who presume to settle upon or survey the 
lands of the United States. 

As you inform me that you have sent on a petition to Congress 
upon the subject, and upon a consideration of your present dis- 
tressed circumstances, according to your own account, I am in- 
duced to forbear sending any troops for one month from this date 
to dispossess you, or until further orders from authority. At the 
same time you must be as expeditious as possible in preparing to 
remove yourselves, as I am very confident that honorable body, 
the Congress, will not grant the prayer of your petition, in which 
case I shall be under necessity of executing my orders. 

[Signed] Jos. Harmar, 

Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant. 

1785. — Letter from Lieutenant-Colonel Harmar to the President of Congress. 

Fort McIntosh, May 1, 1785. 
Sir: I have the honor to inclose to your excellency a monthly 
return of this date of the Pennsylvania and Jersey troops in the 



CHK0N0L0G1CAL RECOEDS. 423 

service of the United States. In obedience to the instructions 
received from the honorable the commissioners for Indian affairs, 
upon their departure from this post, I have to inform your excel- 
lency that I detached Ensign Armstrong with a party of twenty 
men, furnished with fifteen days' provisions, on the 31st March 
last, to dispossess sundry persons who had presumed to settle on 
the lands of the United States on the western side of the Ohio 
river. The inclosed copy of the instructions, together with his 
orders, were posted up at Wheeling and distributed throughout 
the different parts of the country, in order that all persons might 
be made fully acquainted therewith. Ensign Armstrong, having 
marched with his party as far down as opposite Wheeling, which is 
about seventy miles from hence, pursuing the course of the river, 
and having executed his orders (excepting a few indulgences 
granted on account of the weather), returned on the 12th ult. I 
have the honor of inclosing to your excellency his report, with 
sundry petitions handed him by the settlers ; likewise the opinion 
of some reputable inhabitants on the eastern side of the river with 
respect to them. 

On the 20th ult. I received the inclosed representation, signed 
hy sixty-six (?) of them, praying for a further indulgence of time, 
and informing me that they had sent on a petition to Congress 
upon the subject, in answer to which I thought it most expedient 
to grant them one month from the 21st ult. to remove themselves, 
at the expiration of which time parties shall be detached to drive 
off all settlers within the distance of one hundred and fifty miles 
from this garrison, which, in my present situation, is all that is 
practicable. The number of settlers lower down the river is very 
considerable, and from all accounts daily increasing. I would, 
therefore, (before I proceed further in the business) beg to know 
the pleasure of your excellency and your particular orders upon 
the subject. I have the honor to be, with the highest esteem and 
respect, your excellency's 

Most humble and obedient servant, 

Jos. Haemae, 
Lt.-Col. Com. the First American Reg't. 
His Excellency, 

Richard Henry Lee, Esq., President of Congress. 



424 CHRONOLOGICAL EECOKDS. 

1785. In Congress, on the 18th of March, 1785, it was re- 
solved, "That, in order to give greater security to the frontier set- 
tlements, and establish a boundary line between the United States 
and the Pottawattamie, Twightwee, Piankeshaw and other western 
nations, a treaty will be held with the said Indians at Post Vin- 
cennes, on the Wabash river, on the 20th day of June, 1785, or at 
such other time or place as the commissioners may find more con- 
venient.^ By a resolution of Congress of the 6th of June, 1785, 
the commissioners on the part of the United States were author- 
ized and directed to obtain from the western tribes of Indians a 
cession of lands "as extensive and liberal as possible." The reso- 
lution of the 18th of March, the ordinance of the 20th of May, 
and the proclamation of the 15th of June, aroused the jealousy of 
the western Indians and produced no small degree of excitement 
among the American adventurers and the French settlers at Post 
Vincennes. The French settlers, by virtue of Indian grants and 
court concessions, claimed, on the northwestern side of the Ohio, 
a territory of about fifteen thousand square miles. The claims of 
the Illinois and Wabash Land Companies covered a region of far 
greater extent. Neither these land companies, nor the Miami In- 
dians, nor the French inhabitants of Post Vincennes, were dis- 
posed to give up to the United States their respective claims to 
lands lying northwest of the river Ohio. The Indians who resided 
on the Wabash were restless and jealous of the advancing settle- 
ments of the whites; the British still held possession of the posts 
of Michilimacinac, Detroit, and some of their dependencies; the 
Spaniards claimed the right and left banks of the Mississippi, and 
maintained that the dominion of the United States did not extend 
as far westward as that river; and the inhabitants of Kaskaskia 
and Post Vincennes were disturbed by controversies among them- 
selves. By a resolution of Congress of the 29th of June, 1785, 
the commissioners for negotiating a treaty with the western Indians 
were directed to hold the said treaty on the western bank of the 
Ohio, at the rapids, or at the mouth of the Great Miami river. 
At the latter place, on the 31st of January, 1786, a treaty was con- 
cluded between the United States and the Shawanee Indians. 

1785. May 20th, Congress passed an ordinance relating to the 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 425 

public lands lying northwest of the river Ohio. The first ordi- 
nance reported to Congress in May, 1784, proposed to divide the 
public lands into townships of ten miles square, each township to 
be divided into one hundred parts. The plan next reported, in 
April, 1785, proposed townships seven miles square, and this, 
during the debate, was altered to six miles square, which was the 
size suggested by Putnam, in 1783, in the memorial of the officers 
and soldiers of the Revolutionary War. [Journals of Congress, 
vol. iv. pp. 416, 508, 520; North American Review, No. C, p. 9.] 
The ordinance of 1785 set apart six hundred and forty acres of 
land in every township to create a fund for the support of public 
schools. I regret that I am unable to mention, with any degree 
of certainty, the name of the patriot who first called the attention 
of Congress to the consideration of this beneficent measure. 

1785. — Extract of a Letter from Colonel Harmar to the Secretary of War. 

Fort McIntosh, June 1, 1785. 

I have the honor to enclose you a monthly return of this date 
of the Pennsylvania and Jersey troops in the service of the United 
States; likewise a return of the ordnance, stores, etc., at this post. 
It is but very lately I had the pleasure of hearing of your appoint- 
ment, otherwise the returns should have been forwarded sooner. 
The Wyandot and Delaware nations have brought in their prison- 
ers (fifteen in number), agreeably to the treaty, and hostages left 
in my possession are now dismissed. 

These nations are friendly, and, I believe, wish to cultivate a 
good understanding with the Americans. The Shawanees make 
great professions of peace, and are desirous of a treaty being held 
with them. The Cherokees are hostile, and have killed and 
scalped seven people near the mouth of the Scioto, about three 
hundred and seventy miles from hence. 

Speeches have been continually sending by the British from 
Detroit to the Indians, since the treaty, and I have good intelli- 
gence that several traders have been among them, using all means 
to make them entertain a bad opinion of the Americans. One 
Simon Girty, I am informed, has been at Sandusky for that pur- 
pose. I have taken every means in my power to counteract their 
proceedings, and have directed the Indians not to listen to their 



426 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

lies, but to tie and bring in here any of those villains who spread 
reports among them injurious to the United States, in order that 
they may be punished. 

The honorable the commissioners for Indian affairs, previous to 
their departure, left me instructions to drive off all surveyors or 
settlers on the lands of the United States, in consequence of which 
a party has been detached, who drove them off as far as seventy 
miles from this post. The number lower down the river is im- 
mense, and unless Congress enter into immediate measures it will 
be impossible to prevent the lands being settled. I have written, 
some time since, upon the subject, requesting particular orders 
how to conduct myself, as it is out of my power to sweep them 
further than the distance of one hundred and twenty or one hun- 
dred and fifty miles from hence. This is a matter of so much im- 
portance that perhaps you may judge it necessary to remind Con- 
gress of it. 

1785. — Letter from the Secretary of War to the President of Congress. 

War Office, July 18, 1785. 

Sir : I beg leave to state to your excellency and Congress, that 
the term for which the corps under Lieutenant-Colonel Harmar is 
engaged will expire generally in the course of next month, and 
totally, excepting in a very few instances, in September. 

It appears to be the desire of Congress that Colonel Harmar's 
corps should move further down the Ohio, and agreeably thereto, 
orders have been transmitted to him from this office for that pur- 
pose, and that he should take post somewhere near the mouth of 
the Scioto. This order was conditioned to take place as soon as 
he could be supplied with provisions, which it is now pretty cer- 
tain can not be until the 1st of September, a period at which he 
will have but few men. 

The legislature of Pennsylvania not being to meet until the 
23d August, no effectual measures can be adopted by the president 
and council of that state to retain the men, or any part of them, 
until that time, although it is the wish of the president and coun- 
cil that the men should not be disbanded until new orders are 
issued to re-enlist them, and they have given it as their opinion 
to Colonel Harmar, to keep the men together until the desire of 



CHKONOLOGICAL KECORDS. 427 

the legislature can be taken ; and they have informed me if an 
order for disbanding those troops should be given, many very con- 
siderable inconveniences will result from the measure. 

I have considered that Colonel Harmar's corps could not, from 
the short time of service, be employed on the treaty, and I have 
ordered all the recruits of this state (about fifty in number) to be 
in readiness to march to Fort Mcintosh by the 25th instant. This 
circumstance deranges exceedingly the recruiting business here, 
and as large proportion of the men have been engaged for the 
artillery, the company must be a mixture of artillery and infantry. 

No returns have been received of any men being recruited in 
Connecticut. The legislature of Jersey will not assemble before 
September, and therefore there can be no expectations from that 
state. 

If Congress, upon considering this statement, should be of 
opinion that it would be probable that Colonel Harmar could re- 
tain a sufficient number of his present corps to answer the purposes 
of the Indian treaties, I submit to them the propriety of passing a 
resolve enabling him to retain them on the present establishments 
until these treaties shall be accomplished. 

An officer of Colonel Harmar's is here, and could immediately 
be dispatched with the orders of Congress. 

I have the honor to be, with the highest respect, 

Your excellency's most obedient humble servant, 

H. Knox. 

His excellency, the President of Congress. 

1785. In 1785 General Eichard Butler, one of the commis- 
sioners appointed by the Congress of the United States to negotiate a 
treaty with the northwestern Indian tribes, left Pittsburg, and, with 
a small detachment of soldiers, moved down the Ohio in boats, to 
the mouth of the Great Miami river. In a journal kept by Gen- 
eral Butler, under the date of October 16, 1785 (when he had ar- 
rived at a point about ten miles below the mouth of the Big Sandy 
river), the following passage appears : " I can not help describing 
the amazing plenty and variety of this night's supper. We had 
fine roast buffalo beef, soup of buffalo beef, and turkeys, fried cat- 
fish, fresh caught, roast ducks, good punch, Madeira, claret, grog 
and toddy, and the troops supplied in the most abundant manner. 



428 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

They were all cheerful, and generally in perfect health, and enjoy- 
ing the bounties of heaven, the land and the water." 

1785. October 11th, Colonel James Monroe, of Virginia, was 
at Limestone, Kentucky. 

1785. A few western pioneers laid the foundations of a perma- 
nent settlement at the mouth of the Great Kanawha river, in 1785. 

1785. On the 15th of June, 1785 > a proclamation was issued 
by Congress, strictly forbidding unwarrantable settlements by 
whites on the lands northwest of the Ohio river. 

1785. Fort Harmar built on the right bank of the Ohio at the 
mouth of the Muskingum river, by Major John Doughty. 

1785. Standing army of the United States fixed at one regi- 
ment of infantry and two companies of artillery. 

1785. In the month of August, a large Indian council, com- 
posed of deputies from different tribes, was held at Ouiatenon, on 
the Wabash river. 

1785. Settlement founded at Washington, Kentucky. 

1785. October 16th, Isaac Zane killed three buffaloes on the 
borders of the Ohio river, about ten miles below the mouth of the 
Big Sandy. 

1786. A skirmish took place between about thirty citizens of 
Vincennes and a party of Indians who were encamped on the right 
bank of the Wabash, near the mouth of the river Embarrass. Sev- 
eral Indians and some white men were killed. 

1786. "The Ohio Company of Associates" was organized in 
New England, March 3, 1786. 

1786. A Methodist preacher delivered a sermon on Friday, 
November 10, at a pioneer dwelling house that stood near the left 
bank of the river Ohio, opposite Mingo Bottom. John Mathews, 
who mentions the fact in his journal, does not give the name of the 
preacher. 

1786. A treaty was concluded, on the 31st of January, 1786, 
at the mouth of the Great Miami river, between the United States- 



CHKONOLOGICAL KECOKDS. 429 

and several of the chiefs and warriors of the Shawanee tribe of In- 
dians. 

1786. — Letter from Captain John F. Hamtramck to Major John Plasgrave Wyllys. 

Fort McIntosh, 27th April, 1786. 
Sir: I herewith make you report of the execution of your 
orders, which I had the honor to receive on the 3d instant. I pro- 
ceeded down the Ohio one hundred and forty miles, in search of 
such people as had settled on the lands of the United States con- 
trary to the orders of Congress. I have burned their houses and 
other improvements, particularly their fences, which were very 
considerable and of great consequence to them, and which never 
had been touched by any of the troops. I am in hopes it will 
have the desired effect ; however I am apprehensive it will be ex- 
ceedingly difficult to prevent the land being cultivated, for I have 
observed that opposite every settlement that I have destroyed 
(that is, on the Virginia side) those people have houses and cross 
the river occasionally to attend to their plows and cattle, which are 
very numerous, and, if I may be permitted to give my opinion, I 
certainly think that unless Congress adopts speedy measures to 
settle this country, they will find many embarrassments in having 
it sold agreeably to their ordinance. 

LIST OF HOUSES DESTROYED. 

Abraham Croxen, Jeremiah Stunbury, James Fry, twenty-five 
miles from Mcintosh. Fry's house has been sold three times. 

John Castleman, John Boley, David Waddle, a few miles above 
Mingo Town. 

James Light, Henry Long, Walter Kenny. Light's house was 
sold last for £125 ; at Grass creek. 

James Joliff, John Carpenter, George Nation, David Slinger- 
lands. Carpenter's place was sold for £270 — Norristown, 

Thomas Johnson, Peter Hynx, Jacob Keller, Solomon Delong, 
four miles from Norristown. 

William HofF, John McDonald, John Davis, Peter Street, 
Jonas Manser, James Dorothy, John Litton, between Norristowa 
and Wheeling creek. 



430 CHRONOLOGICAL EECORDS. 

Robert Putney, James Folening, Jacob Judah, James Sylves- 
ter, Samuel Delong, at Wheeling. 

Archibald Frame, John McClaughrey, John Coleman, Adam 
House, from three miles to seven miles on Wheeling creek. And 
six other houses ; I could not procure their names. 

I am, sir, your most obedient and humble servant, 

J. F. Hamtramck 
To Major Wyllys. 

1786. — Extract from the orders given by the Secretary of War to Lieutenant-Col- 
onel Josiah Harmar, commanding the troops on the Ohio. 

War Office, May 12, 1786. 

The intelligence transmitted by you on the 7th instant of the 
conduct of the Indians towards the Miami, the latter end of March, 
indicates at least a partial hostility of disposition. The escape of 
the hostages may be accounted for on the principle of fear after 
they had heard of the depredations of the Indians, without know- 
ing to what tribes they belonged. 

It is apparent from the return of the prisoners, after the escape 
of the hostages, together with the letter of the 20th of March from 
the Shawanee chief, that the Shawanee tribe can not be considered 
as accessory to the depredations which have been committed. 

But such is the critical state of affairs between the United 
States and the Indians, that the highest prudence is requisite on the 
part of the commanding officer of the troops. Distinctions must 
be made between the predatory incursions of a banditti collected 
from a number of tribes, such as the Cherokees and others settled 
on the Scioto, and the conduct of any of the more regular tribes. 

An Indian war, disagreeable at all times, would be peculiarly 
distressing in the present embarrassed state of the public finances; 
therefore it must be avoided if possible consistently with the inter- 
est and dignity of the United States. Whenever this event shall 
happen, it is devoutly to be wished that it should be a war of jus- 
tice on the part of the United States. But all insults to the post's 
troops or regular settlers protected by the ordinances and the 
troops of the United States must be resented and punished, if 
practicable, with great severity. 

The emissaries who are stimulated bv the British officers or 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 431 

their agents will be industrious to urge the Indians to open hostil- 
ities. It will be your duty to endeavor to counteract them, and I 
flatter myself that you will be effectually able to accomplish it. 

All your posts must be established so respectably that their 
security must not depend on the forbearance or good will of the 
savages or any other bodies of men. The commanding officers 
must be impressed with the idea that to be surprised or unprepared 
for any exigency is the greatest disgrace to a military character. • 

1786. July 29th, (?) the first number of the Pittsburg Gazette, 
the first paper printed on the western side of the Allegheny mount- 
ains, was published by John Scull and Joseph Hall. John Scull 
died at his residence in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, in 
1828. 

1786. The Pittsburg Gazette of the 26th of August, 1786, 
says : " From the 6th of July last to the 10th instant [a period of 
thirty-five days], the following peltry was bought up by one trader 
in this place, from the Indians, and mostly paid for in whisky and 
flour: 3,173 summer deer skins, 74 fall deer skins, 48 fawn skins, 
94 bear skins, 37 elk skins, 84 beaver skins, 387 raccoon skins, 29 
fox skins, 14 marten skins, 15 wild-cat skins, 17 wolf skins, 16 
panther skins and 67 pairs of moccasins." 

The value of the furs and peltries exported from Canada in 
1786, as rated in the custom-house, amounted to 225,977 pounds, 
sterling. 

1786. In Congress, on the 24th of August, it was " resolved, 
that the secretary of war give orders to Lieutenant-Colonel Har- 
mar, that he signify to the Moravian Indians, lately come from the 
river Huron to Cuyahoga, that it affords pleasure to Congress to 
hear of their arrival, and that they have permission to return to their 
former settlement on the Muskingum, where they may be as- 
sured of the friendship and protection of the United States, and 
that Lieutenant-Colonel Harmar supply the said Indians, after their 
arrival at Muskingum, with a quantity of Indian corn, not exceed- 
ing five hundred bushels, out of the public stores on the Ohio, and 
deliver the same to them at Fort Mcintosh as soon after next 
Christmas as the same may be procured ; and that he furnish the 



432 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

said Indians with twenty Indian axes, twenty corn hoes and one 
hundred blankets ; and that the board of treasury and secretary of 
war take order to carry the above into effect." [Journal of Con- 
gress, iv. 688.] 

1786. Colonel Benjamin Logan, of Kentucky, at the head of 
about four hundred and fifty mounted men, crossed the Ohio river 
in the vicinity of Limestone (Maysville), and penetrated the In- 
dian country as far as the head waters of Mad river. He burned 
eight villages, and destroyed many fields of corn. He lost ten men, 
took "seventy or eighty" (?) prisoners, and about twenty Indians 
were killed. 

1786 — Extract of a Letter from Colonel Harmar to the Secretary of War. 

Fort Harmar, November 15, 1786. 
In consequence of a letter from his excellency the governor of 
"Virginia, I took it for granted, although I had not received in- 
structions from the war office upon the subject, that it was the 
design of Congress that the two companies of regular troops at the 
rapids should co-operate with the militia in any operations which 
might be formed for the protection of the inhabitants from the dep- 
redations of the Indians. I have therefore directed Captain Fin- 
ney to make his arrangements accordingly. A copy of his excel- 
lency's letter to me and a copy of my instructions to Captain 
Finney I do myself the honor to inclose to you, and hope my con- 
duct in this affair may meet your approbation. An expedition 
under Colonel Logan, with nine hundred militia, went forward on 
the 1st ult. He returned to Limestone, from whence he set out, 
in a fortnight, having met with very little opposition, as all the 
warriors had gone to meet General Clark. Seven of the Shawa- 
nee towns were destroyed, all their corn burned, a few scalps taken 
and thirty women and children prisoners. Melonthy, the Shawa- 
nee king, would not fly, but displayed the thirteen stripes and 
held out the articles of the Miami treaty, but all in vain; he was 
shot down by one of the party, although he was their prisoner. I 
am sorry that this disgraceful affair should have happened, as 
Melonthy had been always represented as a friend to the United 
States. General Clark, with about twelve hundred men, marched 
from the rapids of the Ohio for the Wabash on the 17th of Sep- 



CHKONOLOGICAL EECOKDS. 433 

tember last. I very much fear that the expedition will prove un- 
successful. The latest intelligence I have received from that 
quarter is that it was reported four hundred of his men had left 
him in a body at or near Post Vincent [Vincennes], where he was, 
and had returned to their homes. 

The surveying business under cover of the troops still goes on. 
Captain Hutchins writes me that if the weather proves favorable 
he expects that seven ranges of townships will be completed this 
winter. The troops escorting him are barefoot and miserably off 
for clothing, particularly woolen overalls. They have a very se- 
vere, fatiguing tour of duty. I pray you to order the new cloth- 
ing forwarded here as soon as possible. Be pleased to receive the 
inclosed copy of an answer of the Wyandots and Delawares to a 
speech sent them by General Butler. 

Answer of the Wyandots and Delawares to the speech sent 
them by General Richard Butler, Esq., superintendent of Indian 
affairs, &c, and delivered to them by James Rankin, 23d Septem- 
ber, 1786: 

Brothers of the Thirteen Fires: We have heard what you 
said to us the other day. The peace we made at Beaver creek, we 
will always hold that belt of friendship fast, and wish you to do 
the same; and what you said about dividing the lands we will al- 
ways stand to it, but it is best not to let it be divided yet. There 
is something we see behind us we don't like, and there is some- 
thing from your side does not look good. If we were to force the 
work of the land now it might do mischief. It is best let the land 
alone until everything is right. 

Brothers: We remember what we promised at the Miami 
river, but were we Wyandots and Delawares to show ourselves at 
the surveying of the land, we are very sure the other nations of 
Indians toward the sun-setting would whip us very severely, for they 
are very angry, and say we are just like the Americans. 

Brothers : When we were at home we saw a black cloud com- 
ing from the sun-setting. We Wyandots and Delawares pushed it 
back, and it is still there. But now we see one rising behind you. 
You must look to it and push it away and make things clear. 

Brothers : What we Wyandots and Delawares say to you you 
28 



434 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

may be sure is right, and what news we hear we will always let you 
know; and we thank you for appointing General Butler to take 
care of us, *and that he will always let us know what news you 
hear. 

Brothers : We hear that Captain Brant and some of the Six 
Nations are gone by to the Shawanees and the other nations, and 
we are sent for, and we believe you'll be sent for, that we may all 
hear what they have to say. 

Brothers: The Delaware captain, Buckinguhilas, is come 
home from the Chickasaw country, and we are called on to go to 
his town to hear the news he has brought with him. 

1786. By an act of the General Assembly of Pennsylvania, in 
December, 1786, it was declared that by a " settlement" should be 
understood "an actual personal resident settlement, with a mani- 
fest intention of making it a place of abode and the means of sup- 
porting a family, and continued from time to time, unless inter- 
rupted by the enemy or going into the military service of the 
country during the war; but that no such settler shall or may 
have the pre-emption of any tract exceeding four hundred acres by 
reason of any such settlement." [Hazard's Register of Pennsyl- 
vania, vol iv. p. 2.] 

1786. A letter, dated December 14, 1786, from John Jay to 
Thomas Jefferson, says : " In my opinion our Indian affairs have 
been ill-managed. Indians have been murdered by our people in 
cold blood, and no satisfaction given ; nor are they (the Indians) 
pleased with the avidity with which we seek to acquire their 
lands." 

1786. Early in the month of October, 1786, about one thou- 
sand men, under the command of General George Rogers Clark, 
marched from the falls of the Ohio to Vincennes, and thence up 
the Wabash river, for the purpose of destroying the villages in the 
vicinity of the ancient post of Ouiatenon. On reaching the mouth 
of the Vermillion river, the discontent of the troops became so 
great, from various causes, that the expedition was abandoned and 
General Clark returned to Vincennes. 

1786. In the month of October, 1786, a board, composed of 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 435 

field officers in the Wabash expedition, met in a council at Post 
Vincennes, and " unanimously agreed that a garrison at that place 
would be of essential service to the district of Kentucky, and that 
supplies might be had in the district more than sufficient for their 
support, by impressment or otherwise, under the direction of a 
commissary to be appointed for that purpose, pursuant to the au- 
thority vested in the field officers of the district by the executive 
of Virginia. The same board appointed Mr. John Craig, Jr., a 
commissary of purchases, and resolved that one field officer and 
two hundred and fifty men (exclusive of a company of artillery, to 
be commanded by Captain Valentine Thomas Dalton) be recruited 
to garrison Post Vincennes, and that Colonel John Holder be ap- 
pointed to command the troops in this service." In order to carry 
these resolutions into effect, General Clark, who " assumed the su- 
preme direction of the corps," began to levy recruits, appoint 
officers, and impress provisions for the support of a garrison at 
Post Vincennes. He dispatched messages to the Indian tribes 
that lived on the borders of the Wabash, and invited those tribes 
to meet him in a great council at Clarksville, on the 20th of No- 
vember, 1786, to make a treaty of peace and friendship. A few 
chiefs, of different bands, sent answers to General Clark, and ex- 
pressed their willingness to meet him in council, not at Clarksville, 
but at Post Vincennes. On the 28th of February, 1787, the 
council of Virginia ordered " that it be notified to General Clark 
that this board disavow the existence of a power derived from 
them to the said Clark to raise recruits, appoint officers or impress 
provisions." 

1786. Considerable excitement among the western pioneers 
on the subject of Spanish claims to territory on the borders of the 
river Mississippi, etc. A letter written at Louisville, Kentucky, 
on the 23d of December, 1786, by Colonel Thomas Green, and ad- 
dressed to the governor of the state of Georgia, contains the fol- 
lowing statements : 

u Matters here seem to wear a threatening aspect. The troops 
stationed at Post Vincennes by orders of General George Rogers 
Clark have seized upon what Spanish property there was at that 
place, also at the Illinois, in retaliation for their many offenses. 



436 CHEONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

General Clark, who has fought so glorious!}- for his country, and 
whose name strikes all the western savages with terror, together 
with many other gentlemen of merit, engages to raise troops suffi- 
cient and go with me to the Natchez to take possession and settle 
the lands agreeable to the lines of that state, at their own risk and 
expense : provided you, in your infinite goodness, will countenance 
them and give us the land to settle it agreeable to the laws of your 
state. Hundreds are now waiting to join us with their families, 
seeking asylum for liberty and religion. Not hearing that the 
lines are settled between you and the Spaniards, we therefore wish 
for your directions concerning them, and the advice of your supe- 
rior wisdom ; at the same time assuring you that we have con- 
tracted for a very large quantity of goods, we hope sufficient to 
supply all the Indians living within the limits of Georgia. Trust- 
ing that we shall be able to make them independent of the Span- 
iards, wean their affections and procure their esteem for us and the 
United States, as we expect to take the goods down with us, we 
earnestly pray that you would give us full liberty to trade with all 
those tribes, and also to give your agents for Indian affairs all the 
necessary instructions for the prosperity of our scheme. The sea- 
son for the Indian trade will be so far advanced that I wait with 
very great impatience. 

" General Clark, together with a number of other gentlemen, 
will be ready to proceed down the river with me on the shortest 
notice ; therefore I hope and earnestly pray that you will dispatch 
the express back with all possible speed with your answer, and all 
the encouragement due to so great an undertaking. As to the fur- 
ther particulars, I refer you to the bearer, Mr. William "Wells, a 
gentleman of merit, who will be able to inform you more minutely 
than I possibly can of the sentiments of the people of this western 
country." 

1786. At Danville, Kentucky, a committee was appointed to 
wait on General Clark "and receive from him such information as 
he thought proper to make respecting the establishment of the 
corps at Post Vincennes, of the seizure of Spanish property made 
at that place, and such other matters as they may think necessary." 
Here follows the report of the committee : 

" They find by inquiry from General Clark, and sundry papers 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 437 

submitted by him to their inspection, that a board of field officers, 
composed from the corps employed on the late Wabash expedition, 
did, in council held at Post Yincennes, the 8th of October, 1786, 
unanimously agree that a garrison at that place would be of essen- 
tial service to the district of Kentucky, and that supplies might 
be had in the district more than sufficient for their support, by 
impressment or otherwise, under the direction of a commissary, to 
be appointed for this purpose, pursuant to the authority vested in 
the field officers of the district by the executive of Virginia. The 
same board appointed Mr. John Craig, Jr., a commissary of pur- 
chase, and resolved that one field officer and two hundred and fifty 
men, exclusive of the company of artillery to be commanded by 
Captain Valentine Thomas Dalton, be recruited to garrison Post 
Vincennes. That Colonel John Holder be appointed to command 
the troops in this service. , 

" In consequence of these measures, it appears to your commit- 
tee that a body of men have been enlisted and are now recruiting 
for one year ; that General Clark hath taken the supreme direction 
of the corps, but by what authority doth not appear ; and that the 
corps hath been further officered by appointments made by General 
Clark, who acknowledges that the seizure of the Spanish property 
was made by his order for the sole purpose of clothing and sub- 
sisting the troops ; and that the goods seized were appropriated in 
this way. That John Rice Jones, who acts as commissary to the 
garrison, had passed receipts for the articles taken. The general 
alleges that the troops were raised for the security of the district ; 
that he considers them subject to the direction of this committee, 
who may discharge them if they think proper, but conceives this 
measure may prevent the proposed treaty and involve this country 
in a bloody war. He denies any intention of depredating on the 
Spanish possessions or property at the Illinois, and declares that 
he never saw the intercepted letter from Thomas Green. That he 
understood Green ? s object was to establish a settlement at or near 
the Gaso river, under the authority of the state of Georgia ; that 
his view was, by encouraging the settlement, to obtain a small 
grant of land ; and that he had no idea of molesting the Spaniards 
or of attending Green in person, tie informed the committee that 
the garrison now at Post Vincennes is about one hundred strong, 



438 CHRONOLOGICAL EECOKDS. 

and that the merchants at the Illinois had determined to support 
it, for which purpose they had sent for the commissary, Jones, to 
receive provisions. That Major Bosseron was sent to the Illinois 
to advise the settlers there of certain seizures made at Natchez of 
American property by the Spanish commandant, and to recommend 
it to them to conciliate the minds of the Indians, and be pre- 
pared to retaliate any outrage the Spaniards might commit on their 
property ; but by no means to commence hostilities. 

" Thomas Todd, Clerk Committee. " 
[Secret Journal of Congress, iv. 311.] 

1787. April 24th, the secretary of war was directed by a res- 
olution of Congress, to order the commanding officer of the troops 
on the Ohio to take immediate and efficient measures " for dispos- 
sessing a body of men who had, in a lawless and unauthorized man- 
ner, taken possession of Post Vincennes in defiance of the procla- 
mation and authority of the United States." 

1787.— Letter from Lieutenant-Colonel Harmar to Colonel Le Gras and Monsieur 
Bosseron at Post Vincennes. 

Camp at the Rapids of the Ohio, June 19, 1787. 

Gentlemen : Although I have not the honor of being ac- 
quainted with you, yet I am induced to address you upon the fol- 
lowing subject from the information given me by M. Bartholomew 
Tardiveau that you are good friends to the United States. 

Congress, hearing of the robberies and outrages committed at 
Post Vincennes by a set of lawless banditti, have ordered me to 
march with a body of regular troops there, and to assure the 
French inhabitants that they shall be protected in their rights. 
You will please, therefore, to acquaint them of the same. 

I would wish you, gentlemen, to inform the Indians that the 
United States wish to live in peace with them, and that they may 
not be alarmed at this movement; likewise to apprise them of 
troops being on their way to the post; not a set of villains, but reg- 
ulars, and sent by the grand council of the empire, in order to pre- 
serve good faith with them, and to protect the legal inhabitants. 

I have the honor to be, gentlemen, your most obedient servant, 

Jos. Harmar, 
Lt.-Col., commanding the troops in the service of theUnited States. 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 439 

1787. On the 13th of July, 1787, Congress passed an ordi- 
nance for the government of the "territory of the United States 
northwest of the river Ohio." Major-General Arthur St. Clair 
was elected by Congress governor of this territory on the 5th of 
October, 1787. The following is a copy^of the memorable ordi- 
nance of 1787: 

An Ordinance for the Government of the Territory of the United States North- 
west of the River Ohio. 

Be it ordained by the United States in Congress assembled, 
That the said territory, for the purposes of temporary government, 
be one district; subject, however, to be divided into two districts, 
as future circumstances may, in the opinion of Congress, make it 
expedient. 

Be it ordained by the authority aforesaid, That the estates both 
of resident and non-resident proprietors in the said territory dying 
intestate shall descend to and be distributed among their children 
and the descendants of a deceased child in equal parts; the de- 
scendants of a deceased child or grandchild to take the share of 
their deceased parent in equal parts among them ; and where there 
shall be no children or descendants, then in equal parts to the next 
of kin, in equal degree ; and among collaterals, the children of a 
deceased brother or a sister of the intestate shall have in equal 
parts among them their deceased parent's share; and there shall in 
no case be a distinction between kindred of the whole and half 
blood ; saving in all cases to the widow of the intestate her third 
part of the real estate for life, and one-third part of the personal 
estate ; and this law relative to descents and dower shall remain in 
full force until altered by the legislature of the district. And un- 
til the governor and judges shall adopt laws as hereinafter men- 
tioned, estates in the said territory may be devised or bequeathed 
by wills in writing, signed and sealed by him or her in whom the 
estate may be (being of full age), and attested by three witnesses ; 
and real estate may be conveyed by lease and release, or bargain 
and sale, signed, sealed, and delivered by the person, being of full 
age, in whom the estate may be, and attested by two witnesses, pro- 
vided such wills be duly proved, and such conveyances be acknowl- 
eged, or the execution thereof duly proved, and be recorded within 



440 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

one year after proper magistrates, courts and registers shall be ap- 
pointed for that purpose ; and personal property may be transferred 
by delivery, saving, however, to the French and Canadian inhabi- 
tants and other settlers of the Kaskaskies, St. Vincent's and the 
neighboring villages, who have heretofore professed themselves 
citizens of Virginia, their laws and customs now in force among 
them relative to the descent and conveyance of property. 

Be it ordained by the authority aforesaid, That there shall be 
appointed from time to time by Congress a governor, whose com- 
mission shall continue in force for the term of three years, unless 
sooner revoked by Congress; he shall reside in the district, and 
have a freehold estate therein, in one thousand acres of land, while 
in the exercise of his office. 

There shall be appointed from time to time by Congress a sec- 
retary, whose commission shall continue in force for four years, un- 
less sooner revoked; he shall reside in the district, and have a 
freehold estate therein, in five hundred acres of land, while in the 
exercise of his office. It shall be his duty to keep and preserve 
the acts and laws passed by the legislature, and the public records 
of the district, and the proceedings of the governor in his execu- 
tive department, and transmit authentic copies of such acts and 
proceedings every six months to the secretary of Congress. There 
shall also be appointed a court, to consist of three judges, any two 
of whom to form a court, who shall have a common law jurisdic- 
tion, and reside in the district, and have each therein a freehold 
estate in five hundred acres of land while in the exercise of their 
offices; and their commissions shall continue in force during good 
behavior. 

The governor and judges, or a majority of them, shall adopt 
and publish in the district such laws of the original states, criminal 
and civil, as may be necessary and best suited to the circumstances 
of the district, and report them to Congress from time to time, 
which laws shall be in force in the district until the organization 
of the General Assembly therein, unless disapproved of by Con- 
gress; but afterward the legislature shall have authority to alter 
them as they shall think fit. 

The governor, for the time being, shall be commander-in-chief 
of the militia, appoint and commission all officers in the same be- 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 441 

low the rank of general officers ; all general officers shall be ap- 
pointed and commissioned by Congress. 

Previous to the organization of the General Assembly the gov- 
ernor shall appoint such magistrates and other civil officers, in 
each county or township, as he shall find necessary for the preser- 
vation of the peace and good order in the same. After the Gen- 
eral Assembly shall be organized the powers and duties of magis- 
trates and other civil officers shall be regulated and defined by the 
said Assembly; but all magistrates and other civil officers, 
not herein otherwise directed, shall, during the continuance of this 
temporary government, be appointed by the governor. 

For the prevention of crimes and injuries, the laws to be 
adopted or made shall have force in all parts of the district, and 
for the execution of process, criminal and civil, the governor shall 
make proper divisions thereof; and he shall proceed from time to 
time, as circumstances may require, to lay out the parts of the dis- 
trict in which the Indian titles shall have been extinguished into 
counties and townships, subject, however, to such alterations as 
may thereafter be made by the legislature. 

So soon as there shall be five thousand free male inhabitants, 
of full age, in the district, upon giving proof thereof to the gov- 
ernor, they shall receive authority, with time and place, to elect 
representatives from their counties or townships, to represent them 
in the General Assembly; provided that, for every five hundred 
free male inhabitants, there shall be one representative, and so on 
progressively with the number of free male inhabitants shall the 
right of representation increase, until the number of representa- 
tives shall amount to twenty-five, after which the number and pro- 
portion of representatives shall be regulated by the legislature ; 
provided that no person be eligible or qualified to act as a repre- 
sentative unless he shall have been a citizen of one of the United 
States three years, and be a resident in the district, or unless he 
shall have resided in the district three years, and in either case 
shall likewise hold in his own right, in fee simple, two hundred 
acres of land within the same ; provided, also, that a freehold in 
fifty acres of land in the district, having been a citizen of one of 
the states, and being resident in the district, or the like freehold 



442 CHEONOLOGICAL BECOBDS. 

and two years' residence in the district, shall be necessary to qual- 
ify a man as an elector of a representative. 

The representatives thus elected shall serve for the term of two 
years, and, in case of the death of a representative, or removal 
from office, the governor shall issue a writ to the county or town- 
ship for which he was a member to elect another in his stead, to 
serve for the residue of the term. 

The General Assembly, or legislature, shall consist of the gov- 
ernor, legislative council, and a house of representatives. The 
legislative council shall consist of five members, to continue in 
office five years, unless sooner removed by Congress, any three of 
whom to be a quorum, and the members of the council shall be 
nominated and appointed in the following manner, to-wit: As 
soon as representatives shall be elected, the governor shall appoint 
a time and place for them to meet together, and, when met, they 
shall nominate ten persons, residents in the district, and each pos- 
sessed of a freehold in five hundred acres of land, and return their 
names to Congress; five of whom Congress shall appoint and com- 
mission to serve as aforesaid ; and whenever a vacancy shall hap- 
pen in the council, by death or removal from office, the house of 
representatives shall nominate two persons, qualified as aforesaid, 
for each vacancy, and return their names to Congress ; one of whom 
Congress shall appoint and commission for the residue of the term ; 
and every five years, four months at least before the expiration of 
the time of service of the members of council, the said house shall 
nominate ten persons, qualified as aforesaid, and return their names 
to Congress, five of whom Congress shall appoint and commission 
to serve as members of the council five years, unless sooner re- 
moved. And the governor, legislative council, and house of rep- 
resentatives shall have authority to make laws, in all cases, for the 
good government of the district, not repugnant to the principles 
and articles in this ordinance established and declared. And all 
bills, having passed by a majority in the house, and by a majority 
in the council, shall be referred to the governor for his assent ; but 
no bill or legislative act whatever shall be of any force without 
his assent. The governor shall have power to convene, prorogue 
and dissolve the General Assembly, when in his opinion it shall be 
expedient. 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 443 

The governor, judges, legislative council, secretary, and such 
other officers as Congress shall appoint in the district, shall take an 
oath or affirmation of fidelity and of office ; the governor before 
the president of Congress, and all other officers before the governor. 
As soon as a legislature shall be formed in the district, the council 
and house assembled, in one room, shall have authority, by joint 
ballot, to elect a delegate to Congress, who shall have a seat in 
Congress, with a right of debating, but not of voting, during this 
temporary government. 

And for extending the fundamental principles of civil and re- 
ligious liberty, which form the basis whereon these republics, their 
laws and constitutions are erected ; to fix and establish those prin- 
ciples as the basis of all laws, constitutions and governments, which 
forever hereafter shall be formed in the said territory ; to provide, 
also, for the establishment of states and permanent government 
therein, and for their admission to a share in the federal councils 
on an equal footing with the original states, at as early periods as 
may be consistent with the general interest : 

It is hereby ordained and declared, by the authority aforesaid, 
that the following articles shall be considered as articles of com- 
pact, between the original states and the people and states in the 
said territory, and forever remain unalterable, unless by common 
consent, to-wit: 

Art. 1. No person, demeaning himself in a peaceable and or- 
derly manner, shall ever be molested on account of his mode of 
worship or religious sentiments, in the said territory. 

Art. 2. The inhabitants of the said territory shall always be 
entitled to the benefits of the writ of habeas corpus, and of the 
trial by jury; of a proportionate representation of the people in the 
legislature, and of judicial proceedings according to the course of 
the common law. All persons shall be bailable, unless for capital 
offenses, where the proof shall be evident or the presumption great. 
All fines shall be moderate, and no cruel or unusual punishments 
shall be inflicted. No man shall be deprived of his liberty or prop- 
erty, but by the judgement of his peers or the law of the land, and 
should the public exigencies make it necessary, for the common 
preservation, to take any person's property, or to demand his par- 
ticular services, full compensation shall be made for the same. 



444 CHKONOLOGICAL RECOKDS. 

And, in the just preservation of rights and property, it is under- 
stood and declared that no law ought ever to be made or have 
force in the said territory that shall in any manner whatever inter- 
fere with or affect private contracts or engagements, bonafide and 
without fraud, previously formed. 

Art. 3. Religion, morality and knowledge being necessary to 
good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the 
means of education shall for ever be encouraged. The utmost 
good faith shall always be observed toward the Indians ; their lands 
and property shall never be taken from them without their consent, 
and in their property, rights and liberty they never shall be in- 
vaded or disturbed, unless in just and lawful wars authorized by 
Congress; but laws founded in justice and humanity shall, from 
time to time, be made for preventing wrongs being done to them, 
and for preserving peace and friendship with them. 

Art. 4. The said territory, and the states which may be formed 
therein, shall for ever remain a part of this confederacy of the 
United States of America, subject to the Articles of Confederation 
and to such alterations therein as shall be constitutionally made ; 
and to all the acts and ordinances of the United States, in Con- 
gress assembled, conformable thereto. The inhabitants and set- 
tlers in the said territory shall be subject to pay a part of the fed- 
eral debts contracted or to be contracted, and a proportional part of 
the expenses of government, to be apportioned on them by Con- 
gress, according to the same common rule and measure by which 
apportionments thereof shall be made on the other states; and the 
taxes for paying their proportion shall be laid and levied by the 
authority and direction of the legislatures of the district or districts 
or new states, as in the original states, within the time agreed upon 
by the United States in Congress assembled. The legislatures of 
those districts or new states, shall never interfere with the primary 
disposal of the soil by the United States in Congress assembled, nor 
with any regulations Congress may find necessary for securing the 
title in such soil to the bona fide purchasers. No tax shall be im- 
posed on lands the property of the United States ; and in no case 
shall non-resident proprietors be taxed higher than residents. The 
navigable waters leading into the Mississippi and St. Lawrence, 
and the carrying places between the same shall be common high- 



CHKONOLOGICAL EECOKDS. 445 

ways and forever free, as well to the inhabitants of the said terri- 
tory as to the citizens of the United States and those of any other 
states that may be admitted into the confederacy, without any tax, 
impost or duty therefor. 

Art. 5. There shall be formed in the said territory, not less 
than three nor more than five states, and the boundaries of the 
states, as soon as Virginia shall alter her act of cession and consent 
to the same, shall become fixed and established as follows, to-wit: 
The western state in the said territory shall be bounded by the 
Mississippi, the Ohio and Wabash rivers ; a direct line drawn from 
the Wabash and Post Vincents, due north to the territorial line 
between the United States and Canada; and by the said territorial 
line to the Lake of the Woods and Mississippi. The middle states 
shall be bounded by the said direct line, the Wabash, from Post 
Vincents to the Ohio, by the Ohio, by a direct line drawn due 
north from the mouth of the Great Miami to the said territorial 
line, and by the said territorial line. The eastern state shall be 
bounded by the last mentioned direct line, the Ohio, Pennsylvania 
and the said territorial line : provided, however, and it is further 
understood and declared, that the boundaries of these three states 
shall be subject so far to be altered, that if Congress shall hereafter 
find it expedient, they shall have authority to form one or two 
states in that part of the said territory which lies north of an east 
and west line drawn through the southerly bend or extreme of 
Lake Michigan. And whenever any of the said states shall have 
sixty thousand free inhabitants therein, such state shall be admitted 
by its delegates into the Congress of the United States, on an equal 
footing with the original states, in all respects whatever ; and shall 
be at liberty to form a permanent constitution and state govern- 
ment : provided, the constitution and government, so to be formed, 
shall be republican, and in conformity to the principles contained 
in these articles, and, so far as can be consistent with the general 
interest of the confederacy, such admission shall be allowed at an 
earlier period, and when there may be a less number of free in- 
habitants in the state than sixty thousand. 

Art. 6. There shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servi- 
tude in the said territory, otherwise than in the punishment of 
crimes, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted : provided 



446 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

always, that any person escaping into the same, from whom labor 
or service is lawfully claimed in* any one of the original states, such 
fugitive may be lawfully reclaimed and conveyed to the person 
claiming his or her labor or service as aforesaid. 

Be it ordained by the authority aforesaid, that the resolutions 
of the 23d of April, 1784, relative to the subject of this ordinance, 
be, and the same are, hereby repealed and declared null and void. 

Done by the United States, in Congress assembled, the 13th 
day of July, in the year of our Lord 1787, and of their sovereignty 
and independence the twelfth. Chael.es Thomson, Secretary. 
[Secret Journals of Congress, vol. iv. p. 752.] 

1787. On the 5th of October, 1787, Major-General Arthur St. 
Clair was elected by Congress, governor of the territory of the 
United States nortwest of the river Ohio. By the first instructions 
which Governor St. Clair received from Congress in 1788, he was 
authorized and directed, Firstly, to examine carefully into the 
real temper of the Indians. Secondly, to remove, if possible, all 
causes of controversy, so that peace and harmony might be estab- 
lished between the United States and the Indian tribes. Thirdly, 
to regulate trade among the Indians. Fourthly, to neglect no 
opportunity that might offer of extinguishing the Indian rights to 
lands westward as far as the river Mississippi, and northward as far 
as the completion of the forty-first degree of north latitude. 
Fifthly, to use every possible endeavor to ascertain the names of 
the real head men and warriors of the several tribes, and to attach 
these men to the United States by every possible means. Sixthly, 
to make every exertion to defeat all confederations and combina- 
tions among the tribes, and to conciliate the white people, inhabit- 
ing the frontiers, toward the Indians. [Secret Journals of Con- 
gress, i. 277.] 

1787. Continued excitement among the people of Kentucky 
on the subject of the navigation of the Mississippi river. On the 
14th of November, 1787, the secretary of war directed General 
Harmar, the commanding officer of the troops stationed on the 
borders of the Ohio, to endeavor to ascertain whether there was, at 
that time, any plan formed or forming among the western settlers 
for the invasion of the Spanish possessions. " In case," said the 



CHKONOLOGICAL EECORDS. 447 

secretary to General Harmar, "you shall receive such information 
on the subject as to remove all doubt that such a design is on the 
point of execution, you will form your post of such strength, if in 
your power, as will be able by force to prevent the passage of the 
party. Previously to exerting actual force you will represent on 
behalf of the United States, to the persons conducting the enter- 
prise, the criminality of their conduct and the obligation of the 
sovereign authority to prevent, at any hazard, such an audacious 
proceeding." 

1788. The following letter, in reference to the treatment of an 
American citizen in Louisiana, is a copy of the original on file in 
the department of state : 

Post St. Vincennes, 23d August, 1788. 

Sir: In pursuance to the ancient usage and custom of this 
country, I, in the month of November last, applied for and ob- 
tained leave of absence on a trading voyage ; in consequence of 
which, and of my right as a freeman and citizen of the United 
States of America, I loaded a pettiauger with several goods and 
merchandises to the amount of five thousand and nine hundred and 
forty-one livres and fifteen sous in peltry currency of this place, 
equal to one thousand nine hundred and eighty dollars and forty- 
ty-two ninetieths of a dollar, and sent them under the care and 
management of my clerk,. Mr. Swimmer, with directions to pro- 
ceed down the Mississippi river and trade them off with the In- 
dian nations living within the boundaries of the United States of 
America. 

Mr. Swimmer accordingly set out and went down that river to 
a place called the Chicasaw Lake, which is situated about ninety 
leagues down from the river Ohio, about twenty leagues higher than 
where the English fort of the Arquancas [Arkansas] formerly stood, 
and in about thirty-four degrees and forty minutes of north lati- 
tude, according to Hutchins' map, where he pitched his camp on 
the east or American side of the Mississippi, in the neighborhood 
of some friendly Indians who were there hunting. 

Here, after a few days' stay, he was taken up by an order from 
Monsieur Yalliere, the Spanish commandant at the post of the Ar- 
quancas, by a party of Spanish soldiers sent from that fort, who, at 



448 CHKONOLOGICAL KECOKDS. 

the same time, seized the pettiauger and the goods, and carried them, 
together with my clerk and the other hands in the boat, to the 
Spanish fort, where Monsieur Yalliere, the commandant, seized 
and confiscated the property for the use of the Spanish king, at the 
same time informing the men that his orders from the governor of 
Louisiana at New Orleans were express to seize and confiscate all 
property which might be found on the Mississippi or on either of 
its shores anywhere below the mouth of the Ohio, and to send the 
persons of those found with such goods prisoners to him at New 
Orleans. 

Being very soon after informed of this transaction, I went my- 
self to the Arquancas, and applied to the Spanish commandant for 
a restoration of my property, who, in very peremptory terms, 
refused giving them up, alleging his before mentioned orders, and 
adding that I might take it as a great favor that my clerk and 
hands, as well as myself, were not confined and sent in irons to 
Orleans as prisoners. When I reasoned on my right, as an Ameri- 
can subject, to traffic in the American dominions, and that my 
property was seized in the territory to which I conceived America 
had an undoubted right, he stopped me short by informing me that 
the country on both sides of the river Mississippi, as high up as the 
mouth of the river Ohio, belonged to Spain, and that the whole of 
the country on the east side of the Mississippi, from the mouth of 
the Ohio downwards, was then under the Spanish government. 

Surprised at this information, and not being satisfied that the 
governor had really given such orders, I went to New Orleans, and 
on or about the 20th day of May last obtained an audience of the 
governor, Don Mero, who, as soon as informed of my name, asked 
me in very haughty terms how I could have the audacity to appear 
before him on the subject of the seizure of my property ; that, 
although I was Frenchman born, yet that I then was an American 
subject, and that if he, the governor, was to follow his orders from 
the court of Spain, he would send me prisoner to the mines of 
Brazil ; and then concluded, in a threatening manner, with bidding 
me depart from thence and be no more seen, which last orders I 
was glad to obey and withdraw myself as soon and as far as possi- 
ble from such despots without receiving any satisfaction. 

Thus circumstanced, my only and last resource is to the honor- 



CHEONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 449 

able the Congress of the United States of America, as guardians 
of the rights and liberties of her subjects, whose persons have been 
seized and properties confiscated on her acknowledged territory 
by an armed force in pursuance to the orders of a foreign prince. 

From the time that the American name has been known in 
this country I have been a subject of the United States. I have 
fought in the defense of that country whose subjects a Spanish 
commandant is hardy enough to oppress. I am now, unless gov- 
ernment interferes, without any remedy for a loss which will re- 
duce me, with a wife and numerous family, to the utmost distress. 

I must beg of you, sir, to make known my case to Congress in 
such manner as you shall think proper, and as speedy as possible; 
as in me the rights of sovereignty of America as well to a very ex- 
tensive territory, as to the navigation of the Mississippi anywhere 
below the mouth of the river Ohio, has been invaded, my cause is 
become a public cause, and will in its consequences determine a 
grand national question. I dare hope and trust that as an ancient 
inhabitant of this country, and as one of the first subjects of 
America in it, I shall be thought worthy the protection of Con- 
gress, and that they will adopt some means to give satisfaction and 
recompense for my losses. To convince you and the world of the 
justice of my cause, I propose to make oath before a magistrate of 
the truth of the whole of the case as before stated, and shall, when- 
ever called upon, produce proper vouchers and proofs to authenti- 
cate the same. I am, sir, &c, 

[Signed] Joseph St. Marie. 

To Majok Hamtramck, 

First U. S. Reg't and Com. at Post St. Vincennes. 

Post St. Vincennes, 23d August, 1788. 

Personally appeared before us, the subscribers, magistrates of 
the district of Post St. Vincennes, Joseph St. Marie, of the same 
place, merchant trader, who made oath upon the holy evangelists 
of Almighty God that the above statement of his case is just and 
true. In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands and 
seals the day and year above written. 

[Signed] Jean Bte. Miliet. 

James Johnston. 
29 . Valentine Thos. Dalton. 



450 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

1787. During the years 1787 and 1788 the commissioners of 
the United States did not succeed in their attempts to make a 
treaty with the hostile Indians who occupied the country on the 
northwestern side of the river Ohio. The hostile tribes insisted 
that the Ohio river should be the boundary between them and the 
United States. In the meantime General Harmar strengthened 
the fort at the mouth of the river Muskingum, reinforced a small 
garrison at the falls of the Ohio, and secretly dispatched confiden- 
tial agents to different parts of the country to ascertain the opin- 
ions of the western settlers on the subject of an invasion of the 
territories of Spain. Major John F. Hamtramck, of the United 
States army, was stationed at Post Vincennes as commandant of 
that place. Among the first proclamations of that officer there 
was one of the 3d of October, 1787, issued to prevent the sale of 
intoxicating liquors to Indians. 

1787. The first number of the "Kenfcucke Gazette," the sec- 
ond newspaper printed west of the Allegheny mountains, was 
published at Lexington, Ky., on the 11th of August, by John 
Bradford and his brother, Fielding Bradford. 

1787. On the 25th of July, 1787, Major John F. Hamtramck, 
with a small military force, consisting of United States troops, was 
stationed at Vincennes as commandant of that place. 

1787. October 27, Manasseh Cutler and Winthrop Sargent, as 
agents for the " Ohio Company of Associates," entered into a con- 
tract with the board of treasury of the United States for the pur- 
chase of at least one million five hundred thousand acres of land 
lying northwest of the Ohio. [See Journals of Congress July 26, 
1787; Amer. State Papers, title Public Lands, and Laws of the 
United States, vol. i. 456, 492 ; vol. ii. 276.] 

1787. Marietta, at the mouth of the Muskingum river, was 
"laid out on the 30th of August, 1787, and the settlement began 
on the 7th of April following," 1788. [Statement of Thad. M. 
Harris, A. M., member of the Massachusetts Historical Society, 
1803.] 

1787. Extract from the Journals of the Ohio Company of As- 
sociates : 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 451 

At a meeting of the directors of the Ohio Company, at Mr. 
Brackett's tavern in Boston, November 23, 1787, for the purpose 
of carrying into effect the surveys and other business of the Ohio 
Company, as agreed upon by the directors and agents at their meet- 
ings of the 29th of August last, and the 21st instant — 

Ordered, that four surveyors be employed, under the direction 
of the superintendent hereinafter named; that twenty-two men 
shall attend the surveyors ; that there be added to this number 
twenty men, including six boat-builders, four house-carpenters, 
one blacksmith, and nine common workmen. 

That the boat-builders shall proceed on Monday next, and the 
surveyors rendezvous at Hartford, the 1st day of January next, on 
their way to the Muskingum. 

That the boat-builders and men, with the surveyors, be propri- 
etors in the company. That their tools and one ax and one hoe to 
each man, and thirty pounds weight of baggage, shall be carried in 
the company's wagons, and that the subsistence of the men on their 
journey be furnished by the company. 

That upon their arrival at the places of destination, and enter- 
ing upon the business of their employment, the men shall be sub- 
sisted by the company and allowed wages at the rate of four dol- 
lars (each) per month until discharged. That they be held in the 
company's service until the 1st of July next, unless sooner dis- 
charged ; and that if any of the persons employed shall leave the 
service, or wilfully injure the same, or disobey the orders of the 
superintendent, or others acting under him, the person so offending 
shall forfeit all claim to wages. 

That their wages shall be paid the next autumn, in cash or 
lands, upon the same terms as the company purchased them. That 
each man furnish himself with a good small arm, bayonet, six 
flints, a powder-horn and pouch, priming-wire and brush, half a 
pound of powder and one pound of buckshot. The men so en- 
gaged shall be subject to the orders of the superintendent and 
those he may appoint as aforesaid, in any kinds of business they 
shall be employed in, as well for boat-building and surveying as 
for building houses, erecting defenses, clearing land and planting 
or otherwise for promoting the settlement ; and as there is a possi- 
bility of interruption from enemies, they shall also be subject to 



452 CHEONOLOGICAL KECORDS. 

orders as aforesaid in military command during the time of their 
employment. 

That Colonel Ebenezer Sproat, from Ehode Island, Mr. An- 
selm Tupper and Mr. John Matthews, from Massachusetts, and 
Colonel R. J. Meigs, from Connecticut, be the surveyors. 

That General Eufus Putnam be the superintendent of all the 
business aforesaid, and he is to be obeyed and respected accord- 
ingly. Winthrop Sargent, 

Secretary to the Ohio Company. 

[Harris' Northwestern Journey.] 

1787. September 17, Constitution of the United States 
adopted by the convention at Philadelphia. 

1787. — Extract of a Letter from Colonel Josiah Harmar to the Secretary of War, 
dated Camp on the Kentucky Shore, just below the Eapids, July 7, 1787. 

Sir: A duplicate of my last was forwarded by the way of 
Danville through the wilderness to Richmond, which must be the 
conveyance in future for my letters, as the people are so intimi- 
dated by a boat bound for Pittsburg being fired upon by a party 
of Indians near the Great Miami that they will not for some time 
venture up the river. I had given some of my letters in charge to 
the owner of this boat, but they were returned to me at the rapids. 

Since my last I have obtained more full information of the 
country, and have thought it most advisable, as it will save a vast 
expense to the public, to make my operations chiefly by water. I 
have had all my keel boats repaired and put in tolerable order, 
and have run the public to no further expense than about ten dol- 
lars for my Kentucky boats. Last night I detached Captain Zeig- 
ler with sixty-six men in eight Kentucky boats, two large keel 
boats, one small keel boat and two canoes, laden with flour, cattle, 
whisky, etc. (being three months' provisions for three hundred 
men), with orders to halt at what is called the landing and carry- 
ing place, a few miles on this side of Green river, called in Hutch- 
ios' map Buffalo river. To-morrow morning early I shall move 
with the troops and the remainder of the fleet, and shall overtake 
Captain Zeigler. I propose to march by land from this carrying 
place to Post Yincennes. The distance, I am well informed, is no 
more than fifty miles. The cattle and eighteen horses will be 



CHEONOLOGICAL EECOEDS. 453 

drove along. The flour, baggage, etc., will, under a strong guard, 
ascend the Wabash river, which at this season of the year will be 
attended with considerable difficulty. 

I have sent intelligence to Colonel Le Gras and Major Bos- 
seron, the principal inhabitants at the post, to inform them of this 
movement. * * * Captain Fergusson did not arrive until the 
evening of the 3d instant, in the old contractors' boats laden with 
provisions. I placed no dependence on supplies from them, 
neither did I know of any further engagement of theirs to supply 
the troops, but immediately upon my arrival at the rapids, in order 
to expedite the movement, gave orders to Mr. Bradshaw, the 
issuing commissary here, to exert himself and furnish the neces- 
sary provisions. Having considerable credit in the Kentucky 
country, he exerted himself and furnished the provisions accord- 
ingly. He has drawn bills on the contractors for the flour which 
he purchased. I sincerely hope these bills may be duly honored, 
for if his credit fails my resources will be materially injured. * * 

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 
the 7th of May, by Major Doughty, with the pleasing intelligence 
of five hundred dollars having arrived, being one month's pay for 
the troops and three months' subsistence for officers. I have also 
received your letter of the 17th May, with the sum of one thou- 
sand dollars contingent money (Captain Bradford's expenses and 
the discount to be deducted), which shall be administered in the 
most economical manner. Agreeably to your orders, I have re- 
ceipted for the full sum of one thousand dollars, and now inclose 
you said receipt. Triplicates of the same shall be forwarded to 
the war office, besides one to Major Doughty. 

I have undertaken to enlist for one year four men, with a prom- 
ise of the same pay and rations, etc., as a regular soldier receives. 
These men will be extremely useful. The one is a Canadian, an 
interpreter, who understands the different dialects of the Wabash 
Indians. To this man I have promised something extra. The 
other three are good woodsmen, and will serve as expresses to 
carry dispatches to and from the post to the rapids. Two of them 
are also well acquainted with the navigation of the Wabash river. 
I trust this will meet with your approbation, as it is done upon an 
economical principle, and will certainly be a saving to the public. 



454 CHKONOLOGICAL EECOEDS. 

Captain Fergusson informs me that he took on board Regan, the 
fellow who murdered an Indian, with a design to remove him from 
Mcintosh to Muskingum, but being in irons, he started in his 
sleep and fell overboard and was drowned below Wheeling. It 
would have been better to have had him executed in presence of 
the Indians. 

I am informed there are a number of British traders on the 
"Wabash, above Post Vincennes. I hope to have the honor of ad- 
dressing my next letter to you from the post, when I shall imme- 
diately proceed to expel the usurpers of the public lands and like- 
wise reconnoitre these British traders, who are the real cause, 
I believe, of all the Indian disturbances. * * * 

Eight of the Chickasaw nation have been with me for this 
week past. Their business is to have a trade with the Americans. 
These and the Choctaws have been treated with and are very 
friendly to the United States. I have given them eight match- 
coats and a few trifles, and shall take them down with me to- 
morrow as far as we go by water, and then dismiss them with a 
speech, and some small presents to Piamingo, the mountain leader 
and the Choctaw chief. 

I have left an officer, with a command of twenty sick and inva- 
lids, to garrison the fort at the rapids of the Ohio. The chief 
duty of this officer is to forward any dispatches which may arrive 
from the war office to me immediately at Post Vincennes by land. 

1787. — Letter from Brigadier-General Josiah Harmar to the Secretary of War. 

Camp at Post Vincennes, August 7, 1787. 

Sir: I had the honor of addressing you last on the 7th ult., 
from camp on the Kentucky shore, just below the rapids of the 
Ohio. On the 6th ult. Captain Ziegler, with a party and an ade- 
quate number of boats, was detached from thence with the provis- 
ions. On the 8th we embarked with the remainder of the fleet 
and arrived on the morning of the 10th at the rocks, or the land- 
ing and crossing place, called also the Delaware Old Town, about 
eight miles above Green river, and one hundred and eighty miles 
below the rapids. 

In the afternoon of the same day I detached Major Hamtramck 
with a party of one hundred men to conduct the whole fleet from 






CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 455 

the landing to the mouth of the Wabash and then to ascend the 
river for Post Vincennes. On the morning of the 11th, with the 
residue of the troops, I took up the inclosed order of march, with 
our cattle in the center, in very warm weather, and the men being 
obliged to carry fifteen days' flour upon their backs rendered it 
very fatiguing. A due north course from the landing and carrying 
place would have struck the post in fifty miles distance from the 
Ohio, but we were obliged to oblique for the sake of water. 

On the 16th we forded the White river (a considerable stream) 
about fifteen miles below the forks, and arrived at Post Vincennes 
on the 17th at noon. The whole march computed to be about 
seventy miles. 

From the Ohio, where we set out to the White river, we had a 
very difficult march, the country being full of thickets and scarce 
of water, but afterwards we marched through fine open woods and 
large prairies or natural meadows, and encamped on the banks of 
the Wabash. On the 18th we were visited by Colonel Le Gras, 
the magistrates and the principal French inhabitants welcoming 
us upon our arrival. Their behavior was most respectfully sub- 
missive. In the afternoon of the same day, finding the Wabash 
river so low and difficult to ascend, I detached a sergeant and 
twenty men, in three barges and five pettiaugers, to meet Major 
Hamtramck and lighten the fleet. 

Post Vincennes is a very considerable village, situated upon 
the Wabash, about one hundred and twenty miles from the mouth. 
It contains near four hundred houses (log and bark), outhouses, 
barns, etc. The number of inhabitants, about nine hundred (souls) 
French and about four hundred (souls) Americans. Monsieur 
Vincennes, the French officer from whom it derives its name, I 
am informed, was here and commenced the settlement sixty years 
ago. 

On the 20th I called upon Colonel Le Gras for a sight of the 
French grants and all other papers respecting the original settlers. 
The papers were produced, but I declined having a translation of 
them until the arrival of Mr. Bartholomew Tardiveau, a French 
gentleman, who was with Major Hamtramck in the fleet, well ac- 
quainted with the inhabitants and the footing they held their land 
upon. I expected his arrival every day. Major Hamtramck did 



456 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

not arrive with the boats until the 25th, having been eleven days 
on very severe, fatiguing duty ascending the Wabash. He was 
obliged to leave Ensign E-yker Suydam, with a party, with the 
clothing, all the whisky and chief part of the flour at the mouth 
of the Wabash, the water being so shoal that the boats could not 
ascend the river. 

On the 26th I detached Lieutenant Armstrong, with a party of 
forty-five fresh men, in several pettiaugers, to join Ensign Suydam 
and assist in bringing up the provisions and our new clothing, 
which was left behind at the mouth of the river. 

On the 27th the resolve of Congress respecting the intruders on 
the public lands, together with my orders, were published in Eng- 
lish and French, which amazed the inhabitants exceedingly, par- 
ticularly those who style themselves Americans. A copy of the 
said resolve and the orders relative thereto I do myself the honor 
to inclose. 

On the 20th (?) eight Piankeshaw Indians arrived from the Terre 
Haute, up the Wabash, in consequence of Colonel Le Gras' in- 
formation to them of the troops coming to the post. On the 29th 
I had a conference with them, and presented them with thirteen 
strings of wampum and assured them of the friendly disposition 
of the United States, and advised them not to listen to what any 
bad people might say to the contrary. I sent a message by these- 
Indians to all the chiefs of the different tribes on the Wabash, in- 
viting them to assemble here and hear what I had to say to them.. 
These Indians were well pleased — they presented me with a calu- 
met ; I gave them some small presents, and they set off on the 31st 
to deliver my message to the different chiefs. The French inhab- 
itants at the same time sent a speech to them, a copy of which I 
have the honor to inclose. 

On the 5th instant Lieutenant Armstrong and Ensign Suydam 
arrived with the stores, clothing, etc., from the mouth of the Wa- 
bash, after a very fatiguing, dangerous passage. Several parties 
of Indians were hovering about the Wabash ; they waylaid a canoe 
on the 25th ultimo, which had fallen in the rear at what is called 
the long rapid, on board of which were some flour and whisky, 
private property, belonging to our guide. They killed one of 
Captain Zeigler's company and a Frenchman, and took prisoner 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 457 

one of the men whom I had enlisted for one year. I informed the 
Indians of this circumstance and to tell their chiefs that if they did 
not desist they would certainly draw upon them the vengeance of 
the United States. They disavowed, in strong terms, any know- 
ledge of this murder. 

I humbly conceive that the great objects I have to attend to 
will be to prevent illegal encroachments on the public lands, to 
secure happiness to the inhabitants, and to protect private property 
from arbitrary invasion, and to remove, if possible, diffidence, fear 
and jealousy from the minds of the Indians. To these points I 
shall bend my attention. I have been busily employed, with the 
aid of Mr. Tardiveau, in order to make a discrimination between 
the lands legally obtained and those that have been encroached 
upon without sufficient authority. 

The French inhabitants are about framing an humble petition 
to Congress, and will, I believe, give up their charter and trust to 
Congress for what lands that honorable body may please to grant 
them. Such American inhabitants as have settled under the 
French charter are also framing a petition to Congress, praying 
for relief, and they will be recommended by the French. As 
there are no intruders out of the village, I shall wait for these pe- 
titions and inclose them to the war office, and although the 1st of 
September is the given period for them to depart, as I can not yet 
possibly ascertain who are actually intruders, I shall not proceed 
to expel them until their petitions are sent on and their fate deter- 
mined and I receive orders from Congress or the war office upon 
the subject. 

Both parties will appoint Mr. Bartholomew Tardiveau as their 
agent. He will go on to Congress in the course of next month. 
As the Indian chiefs (if they come at all) will not be here in less 
than a month, I propose to take a subaltern's guard and to proceed 
to Kaskaskia, in company with Mr. Tardiveau, the next day after 
to-morrow, in order that I may be enabled to give a statement of 
affairs in that part of the United States. 

This movement of the troops will have a peculiar good effect. 
It will deter several people from Kentucky and other parts from 
taking up the public lands. A door was opening very fast for in- 
trusions from that quarter. Many of General Clark's militia, on 



458 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

their march towards the Vermillion town, had cast their eyes on 
choice land, and I am informed had made what they called toma- 
hawk rights. 

1787. — Copy of General Harmar's Speech to the Indians at Camp at Post Vin- 
cennes, September 7, 1787. 

Brothers, I am very happy to see you at our camp and welcome 
you to it. I have to inform you that we are part of the warriors 
sent into this country by the thirteen great fires. They are repre- 
sented by these thirteen strings of wampum, which I now present 
to you. We are ordered to protect and defend all friendly Indians, 
as well as all other inhabitants of the United States, from the in- 
sults and depredations of their enemies. 

Brothers, the Virginians, whom you call the Big Knife, and 
your fathers, the French, here and at all the other villages, are all 
subjects of the thirteen great fires, and are the same with them. 
I have invited you here to tell you that they wish to live in peace 
and friendship with you, therefore advise you to remain peaceable 
in your towns and endeavor all in your power to brighten the 
chain of friendship. On our part the path shall be opened, the 
stumps shall be cut away and the thorns rooted up, that you may 
walk safely in a smooth road. We wish to take you by the hand 
and render you all glad. 

Brothers, you have long been deceived. Listen not to what 
bad men may tell you. Be assured that the thirteen great fires are 
strong and powerful. They are the same who not long since beat 
the mighty armies of the king of the great island of Britain. 
Should they stretch out their right hand against any of the nations 
of Indians they would destroy them as the small shrub is easily 
crushed by the fall of the lofty oak. They will revenge any in- 
juries which may be offered to their subjects or those under their 
protection by any nation or tribe of Indians whatever. 

Brothers, one of our young warriors was killed by some of 
your nations about a month ago, coming up the Wabash, and an- 
other taken prisoner. I demand to know by what nation this 
murder was committed, and that the prisoner be returned to me. 

Brothers, you may come and trade with us in safety. The 
traders here will furnish you with such articles as you may want 






CHEONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 459 

for your skins and furs. It will tend to brighten the chain and to 
keep the path open. 

1787. — Extract from a Letter from Brigadier-General Josiah Harmar to the Secre- 
tary of War, dated Fort Harmar, at the Mouth of the Muskingum, November 
24, 1787. 

Sir: I had the honor of addressing you last from camp at 
Post Yincennes on the 7th of August. The original was for- 
warded from Louisville through the wilderness, and a duplicate 
forwarded from the rapids of the Ohio up the river to Pittsburg. 
I hope they have safe arrived. 

In my last letter, after having published in French and Eng- 
lish the resolve of Congress respecting the intruders upon the pub- 
lic lands at Post Yincennes, together with my orders relative 
thereto, and after having sent messages to the several Indian chiefs 
on the Wabash to assemble at the post and hear what I had to say 
to them, as there was no probability of these chiefs coming in in 
less than a month I informed you that it was my intention to em- 
ploy that time in visiting Kaskaskia, in order that I might be 
enabled to render a statemnt of aiFairs in that part of the United 
States. Accordingly I marched on the 9th of August from the 
post [Yincennes] with a subaltern (Ensign McDowell) and thirty 
men through the prairies, and arrived at Kaskaskia on the 16th of 
the same month. Our march was very fatiguing, as the weather 
was excessive warm and water very bad and scarce on our route. 
The distance is about one hundred and sixty miles. The French 
call it eighty leagues. I was accompanied by two Indians (Pachan, 
a Miami chief, and his comrade), who hunted and supplied the 
party with meat (buffalo and deer), both on the march and upon 
our return. 

, These prairies are very extensive natural meadows, covered 
with long grass; one in particular which we crossed was eight 
leagues in breadth. They run in general from north to south, 
and, like the ocean, as far as the eye can see the view is termi- 
nated by the horizon. Here and there a copse of woods is inter- 
spersed. They are free from brush and underwood, and not the 
least vestige of their ever having been cultivated. The country 
is excellent for grazing, and abounds in buffalo, deer, bear, etc. It 
is a matter of speculation to account for the formation of the prai- 



460 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

ries. The western side of the Wabash is overflown in the spring* 
for several miles. 

On the 17th I was visited by the magistrates and principal in- 
habitants of Kaskaskia, welcoming us upon our arrival. Baptiste 
Be Coigne, the chief of the Kaskaskias Indians, paid me a visit 
in the afternoon and delivered me a speech expressive of the 
greatest friendship for the United States, and presented me one of 
the calumets or pipes of peace, which is now sent on. Some of 
the Peoria Indians likewise visited me. The Kaskaskias, Peorias, 
Cahokias and Mitchi tribes compose the Illinois Indians. They 
are almost extinct at present, not exceeding forty or fifty total. 

Kaskaskia is a handsome little village situate on the river of 
the same name, which empties into the river Mississippi at two 
leagues distance from it. It is one hundred and five miles up the 
Mississippi from the mouth of the Ohio. The situation is low and 
unhealthy, and subject to inundation. The inhabitants are French, 
and much of the same class as those at Post Vincennes. Their 
number, 191, old and young men. 

Having very little time to spare, I left Ensign McDowell with 
the party at Kaskaskia, and on the 18th set out, accompanied by 
Mr. Tardiveau and the gentlemen of the village, for Cahokia. 
We gained Prairie du Kocher, a small village five leagues distant 
from Kaskaskia, where we halted for the night. 

On the 19th we passed through St. Philip, a trifling village 
three leagues distant from Prairie du Roche r, and dined at La 
Belle Fontaine, six leagues further. La Belle Fontaine is a small 
stockade, inhabited altogether by Americans who have seated them- 
selves there without authority. It is a beautiful situation, fine, fer- 
tile land, no taxation, and the inhabitants have abundance to live 
upon. They were exceedingly alarmed when I informed them of 
their precarious state respecting a title to their possessions, and have 
now sent on a petition to Congress by Mr. Tardiveau. On the 
same day we passed another small stockade, Grand Kinsseau, [?] in- 
habited by the same sort of Americans as those at La Belle Fon- 
taine, and arrived at Cahokia that evening. 

Cahokia is a village nearly of the same size as that of Kaskas- 
kia, and inhabited by the same kind of people. They number 
239 — old men and young. I was received with the greatest hos- 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 461 

pitality by the inhabitants. There was a decent submission and 
respect in their behavior. Cahokia is distant from Kaskaskia 
twenty-two French leagues, which is about fifty miles. 

On the 21st, in consequence of an invitation from Monsieur 
Cruzat, the Spanish commandant at St. Louis, we crossed the Mis- 
sissippi and were very politely entertained by him ; after dinner we 
returned to Cahokia. 

St. Louis, nicknamed Pancour [Pain Court (?)], is much the 
handsomest and genteelest village I have seen on the Mississippi. 
It is about four miles distant from Cahokia, and five leagues above 
it the river Missouri unites with the Mississippi. The inhabitants 
are of the same sort as before described, excepting that they are 
more wealthy. About twenty regular Spanish troops are stationed 
here. 

On the 22d I left Cahokia to return to Kaskaskia. Previous 
to my departure, at the request of the inhabitants I assembled them 
and gave them advice to place their militia upon a more respecta- 
ble footing than it was, to abide by the decision of their courts, etc., 
and if there were any turbulent or refractory persons, to put them 
under guard until Congress should be pleased to order a govern- 
ment for them. 

Exclusive of the intruders already described, there are about 
thirty more Americans settled on the rich, fertile bottoms on the 
Mississippi, who are likewise petitioning by this conveyance. 

On the 23d I passed by the ruins of Fort Chartres, which is 
one league above the Prairie du Rocher and situate on the Missis- 
sippi. It was built of stone and must have been a considerable 
fortification formerly, but the part next the river has been carried 
away by the floods, and is of no consequence at present. I staid 
about a quarter of an hour, but had not time to view it minutely, 
as it was a thicket within. Several iron pieces of cannon are here 
at present and also at the different villages. This evening I re- 
turned to Kaskaskia. 

On the 24th, Monsieur Peruse, the Spanish commandant at St. 
Genevieve, sent me an invitation to pay him a visit. We crossed 
the Mississippi accordingly, were politely entertained, and after din- 
ner returned to Kaskaskia. 

St. Genevieve (nicknamed Misere), is a village much inferior 



462 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

in every respect to St. Louis. It is about four miles (including the 
passage of the Mississippi) distant from Kaskaskia. About eight 
or ten Spanish troops are stationed here. 

On the 26th, at the request of the inhabitants, * * * I 
assembled them and gave them advice to regulate their militia 
and obey their magistrates, etc., until Congress should be pleased 
to order a government for them. 

I have to remark that all these people are entirely unacquainted 
with what Americans call liberty. Trial by jury, etc., they are 
strangers to. A commandant, with a few troops, to give them 
orders, is the best form of government for them ; it is what they 
have been accustomed to. 

On the 27th I left Kaskaskia, after having received every mark 
of respect and attention from the inhabitants, in order to set out 
for the post. We marched by a lower route, several of the French 
and the Kaskaskia chief, with his tribe (about ten in number), 
accompanied us, and we arrived safe at Post Vincennes in the 
afternoon of the 3d of September. I make the distance by the 
lower route to be about one hundred and seventy miles. 

On the 5th the Piankeshaw and Wea Indians arrived at the 
post from up the Wabash, to the number of about one hundred 
and twenty. Every precaution was taken. We had a fortified 
camp, two redoubts were thrown up, one on our right and left, 
and the guard in front entrenched. The troops were all new 
clothed and made a truly military appearance. The Indians sa- 
luted us by firing several volleys on the Wabash, opposite our 
camp. Their salute was returned by a party of ours firing several 
platoons. 

I was determined to impress upon them, as much as possible, 
the majesty of the United States, and at the same time they were 
informed that it was the wish of Congress to live in peace and 
friendship with them, likewise to let them know that if they per- 
sisted in being hostile that a body of troops would march to their 
towns and sweep them off the face of the earth. 

On the 7th I invited them to camp and made the inclosed 
speech to them. The Indians admired the troops. I believe they 
had never seen such a sight before. 

On the 8th they answered my speech, and in strong figurative 



CHKONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 463 

language expressed their determination to preserve perfect peace 
and friendship with the United States, as long as the waters 
flowed, etc. They utterly disavowed any knowledge of the mur- 
der that had been committed, and assured me that inquiry should 
be made for the prisoner. 

They presented me with a number of calumets and wampum, 
which I now have the honor of transmitting, inclosed in a rich 
otter skin. They will be delivered by Mr. Coudre. Mr. Coudre 
has acted as a volunteer for a considerable time in the regiment, 
and has conducted himself with propriety. If a vacancy should 
happen in the Connecticut quota, I beg leave to recommend him 
to your notice. 

On the 9th the young warriors were drinking whisky and danc- 
ing before our tents all the morning to demonstrate their joy. 

On the 10th I made them several presents from the commis- 
sioners' goods to no great amount. 

On the 12th the chief part of them left the post for their dif- 
ferent villages up the Wabash. They returned highly satisfied 
with the treatment they received. Indeed, it was a proper tour of 
fatigue for me. I found it politic to pay the greatest attention to 
them. They are amazingly fond of whisky, and destroyed a con- 
siderable quantity of it. I trust that you will find this conference 
with the Indians attended with very little expense. I question 
whether the whole, whisky, provisions and presents, will cost the 
public more than one hundred and fifty dollars. 

Their interpreter is a half Frenchman and married to a Wea 
squaw. He has very great influence among them. I judged it 
necessary to pay extraordinary attention to him. 

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of several letters 
from you, which I shall fully answer by the next conveyance, par- 
ticularly one of the 2d of August, inclosing me a brevet commis- 
sion of brigadier-general. 

After finishing the conference with the Indians and obtaining 
the inclosed petition of the inhabitants at Post Vincennes to Con- 
gress, relinquishing their charter and trusting to the generosity of 
that honorable body, I judged it expedient to leave a garrison at 
the post, as it would have been impolitic, after the parade we had 
made, to entirely abandon the country. Accordingly Major Ham- 



464 CHKONOLOGICAL EECOKDS. 

tramck commands there. His command consists of Captain 
Smith's company, fifty-five, and part of Fergusson's company, 
forty; total, ninety-five. I have ordered him to fortify himself 
and to regulate the militia, who are to join him in case of hostil- 
ities. You are pleased to ask my opinion of the price of the ration 
at the post. I conceive that the contractors could afford it for the 
same price there as at the falls, provided the troops bring it on; 
otherwise they can not, as the expense of transportation, hiring of 
hands, etc., is considerable. It was an uncommon sickly season at 
the post. In the month of September I had no less than ninety- 
six sick present. 

Having arranged all matters to my satisfaction, as we had a 
long and tiresome voyage before us, I began to think of winter 
quarters. Accordingly on the 1st of October I marched by land 
with the well men of Captains Zeigler's and Strong's companies 
(total, seventy-one,) for the rapids of the Ohio. I gave orders to 
Major Wyllys to command the fleet, and to embark for the rapids 
the next morning with the late Captain Finney's and Mercer's 
companies and the sick of the other companies, and a brass three- 
pounder. 

I omitted mentioning of my taking into our possession some 
ordnance and ammunition (public property) at Louisville, and at 
the post; at the former we got a brass six-pounder, with several 
swivels; at the latter, from Mr. Dalton, two brass three-pounders. 
I thought it best that the public property should be under our own 
charge. 

We marched along what is called Clark's trace, and arrived on 
the 7th of October at the rapids of the Ohio. I was mistaken in 
a former letter concerning the distance. It is about one hundred 
and thirty miles, We saw no Indians nor signs of Indians. From 
the falls to the post the country is in general hilly and good wheat 
land. 

Major Wyllys, with the fleet, arrived at Clarksville on the 21st. 
On the 23d and 24th the men were all employed in dragging the 
boats over the falls, a very difficult, fatiguing tour of duty, the 
more so as the water was remarkably low. 

On the 28th I left the falls in the barge for the Muskingum, 






CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 465 

with orders for Captains Zeigler and Strong, with their companies, 
to follow me the next day. 

On the 13th November we arrived at this post. Captain Zeig- 
ler arrived here with the fleet on the 21st. We were favored with 
remarkably fine weather ever since we set out from the post. 

The following are among my arrangements for winter quarters : 

At Venango, Captain Heart's company ; at Mcintosh, part of 
Captain Fergusson's company ; at Muskingum, Captain Zeigler's, 
Captain Strong's, Captain McCurdy's, Captain Bradford's compa- 
nies; at the rapids of the Ohio, the late Captain Finney's, Captain 
Mercer's companies ; at Post Vincennes, Captain Smith's and part 
of Captain Fergusson's companies. 

Such a large proportion of the regiment being quartered at 
Muskingum during the winter will save the public considerable 
expense with respect to provisions. 

The water being so exceeding low detained Lieutenant Beatty 
a long time at Fort Pitt. He did not arrive at this garrison until 
the 20th instant, at night. We are all happy to find that he has 
obtained such a just and honorable settlement for the regiment, and 
we are much indebted to you for having been pleased to lend him 
every assistance in the business. 

The bearer, Mr. Bartholomew Tardiveau, I believe you will 
find to be a sensible, well informed gentleman, as well, if not bet- 
ter, acquainted with the western country (particularly the Illinois) 
than any one who has ever been from thence to Congress. I beg 
leave to refer you to him for a minute and particular description 
of it. There have been some impostors before Congress, particu- 
larly one Parker, a whining, canting Methodist, a kind of would- 
be-governor. He is extremely unpopular at Kaskaskia, and de- 
spised by the inhabitants. I am happy to hear of General St. 
Clair's appointment as governor of the western territory, as it will 
add to the dignity and consequence of Congress. 

Be pleased to receive the inclosed monthly returns of the regi- 
ment, dated the 1st of September, 1st of October and 1st of No- 
vember. 

You are pleased to ask me intelligence respecting the military 
lands. From Fort Massac to the mouth of the Ohio, and from 
30 






466 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

thence about twenty miles up the Mississippi, the country overflows 
and is by no means habitable. 

I shall have the honor of writing to you again in a short time. 
I have the honor to be, sir, 
[Signed] Jos. Harmar. 

The Hon. Major-General Knox, Secretary of War. 

1787. — Extracts of a Letter from Brigadier-General Josiah Harmar to the Sec- 
retary of War. 

Fort Harmar, December 9, 1787. 

Sir : I had the honor of addressing you last on the 24th ult. by 
Mr. Bartholomew Tardiveau, since which nothing particular has 
happened in this quarter. I now have to acknowledge the receipt 
of the original and duplicate of your letter of the 19th of June 
and your letter of the 24th July, inclosing me the resolve of Con- 
gress passed on the 21st of the same month. 

After maturely and seriously weighing the matter for calling 
upon the state of Virginia for one thousand militia to co-operate 
with the regular troops against the savages (which powers Congress 
has been pleased to invest me with), provided they were generally 
hostile, there was nothing appeared, in my opinion, to justify me in 
making the application. It is a mortifying circumstance that, 
while under the sanction of federal authority negotiations and 
treaties are holding with the Indians, that there should be such 
presumption in the people of Kentucky as to be forming expedi- 
tions against them. * * * I hope before this letter reaches 
you that Mr. Tardiveau has arrived, by whom I wrote a minute 
and particular account of all my transactions until the 24th ult. 
A duplicate was not sent, as I esteemed it a safe and speedy con- 
veyance. The circumstance of the French at Post Vincennes 
giving up their charter and trusting to the generosity of Congress 
I believe will have a good effect. At any rate, a stop was put to 
their magistrates selling the public lands. * * * Merely for 
transmitting to you information concerning the population of this 
western world, I have continued to order the officer of the day to 
take an account of the people emigrating down the river. From 
the 1st June to this day there has passed this garrison bound for 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 467 

Kentucky, 146 boats, 3,196 souls, 1,381 horses, 165 wagons, 171 
cattle, 245 sheep and 24 hogs. 

1788. Settlement commenced at the site of Marietta on the 7th 
of April, 1788. The place did not receive the name of Marietta 
until July 2d of that year. It was called "Adelphi" in a letter 
written at the settlement on the 16th of May, 1788, and addressed 
to "the printer of the Massachusetts Spy/' 

1788. July 9th, Governor St. Clair arrived at Marietta, where 
he laid out the county of Washington, and began to organize the 
government of the northwestern territory, according to the pro- 
visions of the ordinance of Congress of July 13, 1787. Before the 
close of the year 1788, the governor and the judges of the general 
court of the territory, Samuel Holden Parsons, John Mitchell Var- 
num and John Cleves Symmes, adopted and published various 
laws. 

A law respecting crimes and punishments was published at 
Marietta, in the territory of the United States northwest of the 
river Ohio, on the 6th of September, 1788. By this statute the 
crimes of treason, murder, and house-burning (in cases where 
death ensued from such burning), were respectively punishable by 
death. 

The crimes of burglary and robbery were each punishable by 
whipping, not exceeding thirty-nine stripes, fine and imprisonment 
for any term not exceeding forty years. 

For the crime of perjury the offender was punishable by a fine 
not exceeding sixty dollars, or whipping not exceeding thirty-nine 
lashes, disfranchisement and standing in the pillory for a space of 
time not exceding two hours. 

Larceny was punishable by fine or whipping, at the discretion 
of the court. If the convict could not pay the fine, it was lawful 
for the sheriff, by the direction of the court, to bind such convict 
to labor, for a term not exceeding seven years, to any suitable per- 
son who would pay such fine. 

Forgery was punishable by fine, disfranchisement and standing 
in the pillory for a space of time not exceeding three hours. 

Drunkenness was punishable by fine or by setting in the stocks 
for the space of one hour. 



468 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

The following declarations appear in the statute respecting 
crimes and punishments : 

" Whereas, idle, vain and obscene conversation, profane cursing 
and swearing, and more especially the irreverently mentioning, 
calling upon or invoking the sacred and Supreme Being, by any of 
the divine characters in which he hath graciously condescended to 
reveal his infinitely beneficent purposes to mankind, are repugnant 
to every moral sentiment and subversive of every civil obligation, in- 
consistent with the ornaments of polished life and abhorrent to the 
principles of the most benevolent religion. It is expected, there- 
fore, if crimes of this kind should exist, they will not find encour- 
agement, countenance or approbation in this territory. It is 
strictly enjoined upon all officers and ministers of justice, upon 
parents and others, heads of families, and upon others of every 
description, that they abstain from practices so vile and irrational; 
and that, by example and precept, to the utmost of their power, 
they prevent the necessity of adopting and publishing laws, with 
penalties, upon this head. And it is hereby declared that govern- 
ment will consider as unworthy its confidence all those who may 
obstinately violate these injunctions." 

"Whereas, mankind in every stage of informed society has 
consecrated certain portions of time to the particular cultivation 
of the social virtues and the public adoration and worship of the 
common Parent of the Universe; and whereas, a practice so ra- 
tional in itself and conformable to the divine precepts is greatly 
conducive to civilization as well as morality and piety; and, 
whereas, for the advancement of such important and interesting 
purposes, most of the Christian world have set apart the first day 
of the week as a day of rest from common labors and pursuits, it 
is therefore enjoined that all servile labor, works of necessity and 
charity only excepted, be wholly abstained from on said day." 

The third section of a law regulating marriages is in the words 
following : 

" Previously to persons being joined in marriage, as aforesaid, 
the intention of the parties shall be made known by publishing 
the same for the space of fifteen days at the least, either by the 
same being publicly and openly declared three several Sundays, 
holy days, or other days of public worship, in the meeting in the 






CHEONOLOGICAL RECOEDS. 469 

towns where the parties respectively belong, or by publication in 
writing under the hand and seal of one of the judges before men- 
tioned, or of a justice of the peace within the county, to be affixed 
in some public place in the town wherein the parties respectively 
dwell; or a license shall be obtained of the governor, under his 
hand and seal, authorizing the marriage of the parties without pub- 
lication, as is in this law before required." 

1788. — Extract of a Letter from General Harmar to the Secretary of Congress. 

Fort Harmar, July 23, 1788. 
Sir: At the request of the governor I ordered a subaltern, 
sergeant, corporal and twenty privates as an escort for the provis- 
ions and to build a council room for the savages at the falls of the 
Muskingum. Regardless of all faith and honor a party of the 
Ottawas and Chippewas attacked this party on the morning of 
the 12th inst. and killed two; one is missing and two wounded, one 
very badly. The loss of the Indians was two killed on the spot, 
one wounded and six taken prisoners, who are now in confinement 
and under heavy irons at this garrison. I sincerely hope that the 
new government will soon begin to operate, in order that we may- 
be enabled to sweep these perfidious villains off the face of the 
earth. 

1788. At a meeting of the Ohio Company Associates in March, 
1788, before the settlement at Marietta, it was resolved "that the 
directors be requested to pay as early attention as possible to the 
education of youth and the promotion of public worship among the 
first settlers." 

1788. St. Louis contained a population amounting to eleven 
hundred and ninety-seven. 

1788. The county of Allegheny, in Pennsylvania, was laid 
out. 

1788. The 10th of October was the last day on which the 
Congress, under the articles of confederation, met in numbers suf- 
ficient to form a quorum. 

1788. In the month of November Major Benjamin Stites, in 



470 CHKONOLOGICAL KECORDS. 

company with about twenty persons, established a settlement, which 
they called Columbia, at the mouth of the Little Miami river. 

1788. John Filson, author of the first history of Kentucky, 
was killed by Indians in September, 1788. 

1788. The first session of a court of common pleas held under 
the authority of the United States in the territory northwest of the 
river Ohio was opened by prayer at Marietta on the 2d day of Sep- 
tember, 1788. The judges were Rufus Putnam, Benjamin Tupper 
and Archibald Craig; clerk, Return J. Meigs; sheriff, Ebenezer 
Sproat. 

1788. On the 20th of July, 1788, the Rev. Dr. Brick preached 
" the first sermon ever delivered in the Protestant style to a con- 
gregation of civilized people in the territory" northwest of the 
river Ohio. [Hildreth's Ohio Valley, p. 513.] 

1788. James Rumsey built a small steamboat on the Potomac 
river, about twelve miles above Harper's Ferry. (?) 

1788. October 15th, the board of the treasury of the United 
States agreed, by contract, to sell to John Cleves Symmes, one mil- 
lion acres of land on the northwestern side of the Ohio river be- 
tween the Great Miami and the Little Miami rivers.* The settle- 
ment of Symmes' purchase was commenced in 1789, in the course 
of which year Fort Washington was erected by a detachment of 
troops under the command of Major John Doughty, on a portion 
of the ground which is now the site of Cincinnati, and a few fami- 
lies settled on the rich bottom lands just below the mouth of the 
Little Miami river, where they laid the foundation of the town of 
Columbia. Sometime in the same year a town, which was called 
Losantiville, was laid off on the lands adjoining Fort Washington. 

1788. — Extract of a Letter from General Harmar to the Secretary of War. 

Fort Harmar, September 14, 1788. 
Sir : Captain Zeigler arrived at this post on the 9th instant, 
with his company — total, fifty-six — escorting the Corn Planter, 
Half Town, an Oneida chief, and several of the Six Nations, 

^American State Papers, Public Lands, vol. i. 93, 115; Laws U. S., vol. i. 457, 
494, 495, 497 ; vol. ii. 270, 287 ; vol. iii. 264, 428, 502, 541, 554. 



CHEONOLOGICAL EECOKDS. 471 

amounting in the whole to about fifty, including men, women and 
children, in order to attend the treaty. 

I have the mortification to inform you that on the 27th of July 
last a party of thirty-six men, under the command of Lieutenant 
Peters, who were detached by Major Hamtramck to bring up pro- 
visions, was attacked on the Wabash, near its mouth, by the sav- 
ages. Ten of the party were killed and eight wounded. 

Josiah Haemae. 

1788. Matthias Denman, having purchased about eight hun- 
dred acres of land lying opposite the mouth of Licking river, vis- 
ited Lexington, Kentucky, in 1788 ; and, at that place Colonel Rob- 
ert Patterson and John Filson became associated with Mr. Denman 
in the design of laying out a town on the land where Cincinnati now 
stands. The following advertisement was then published in the 
Kentucky Gazette, of September 6, 1788: 

" Notice. — The subscribers, being proprietors of a tract of 
land opposite the mouth of Licking river, on the northwest side 
of the Ohio, have determined to lay off a town upon that excellent 
location. The local and natural advantages speak its future pros- 
perity, being equal, if not superior, to any on the bank of the 
Ohio between the Miamis. The inlots to be each half an acre, the 
outlots four acres; thirty of each to be given to settlers, upon pay- 
ing one dollar and fifty cents for the survey and deed of each lot. 
The 15th day of September is appointed for a large company to 
meet in Lexington and mark a road from there to the mouth of 
Licking, provided Judge Symmes arrives, being daily expected. 
"When the town is laid off lots will be given to such as become 
residents before the 1st day of April next. 

"Matthias Denman. 
" Robert Patterson. 
"John Filson. 
"Lexington, Ky., September 6, 1788." 

[Collins' Kentucky, ii. 432.] 

1788. A party of men left Limestone, Kentucky, on the 24th 
of December, 1788, to establish a settlement at the place where 
Cincinnati now stands. " On the 28th December, 1788, Israel 
Ludlow, with about twenty other persons, landed and commenced 



472 CHKONOLOGICAL KECORDS. 

a settlement. They erected three or four log cabins ; '. * * * 
and in the course of January following was completed the survey 
and laying off of the town." [Cist's Cincinnati.] 

1788. Extract of a letter " from young Kirk, the noted Indian 
killer, to John Watts, now chief war captain of the Cherokee na- 
tion," dated "October 17, 1788," and signed "John Kirk, Jr.> 
captain of the Bloody Rangers " : 

# * * it When all was peace with Tanisee town, Slim Tom, 
with a party of Sattigo and other Cherokee Indians, murdered my 
mother, brothers and sisters in cold blood, when the children just 
before was playing about them as friends, and the very instant 
some of them received the blood tomahawk they were smiling in 
their faces. This begun the war, and since I have taken ample 
satisfaction and can now make peace, except with Slim Tom. Our 
beloved men, the Congress, tells us to be at peace. I will listen to 
their advice if no more blood is shed by the Cherokees." * * * 
[Pennsylvania Journal, January 28, 1789; Philadelphia: Printed 
by Thomas Bradford.] 

1789. The first Congress under the Constitution of the United 
States met at New York, on the first Wednesday in March. 

1789. April 30, Washington inaugurated first President of the 
United States. 

1789. Fort Steuben, a block-house, was built at the site of 
Steubenville, Ohio. 

1789. January 9, at Fort Harmar, Governor St. Clair con- 
cluded a treaty with a number of Indians of the Six Nations, and 
also a treaty with several different sachems and warriors of the 
Wyandot, Delaware, Ottowa, Chippewa, Pottawattamie and Sac 
Indians. These latter nations, however, refused to acknowledge the 
validity of the treaty of Fort Harmar; and, early in the spring of 
1789, small roving parties of Indians began to commit depredations 
on defenseless white settlements along the western frontiers of Vir- 
ginia and Kentucky. 

1789. June 15, General Henry Knox, secretary of war, says :■ 
" By the best and latest information, it appears that, on the Wa- 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 473 

bash and its communications, there are from fifteen hundred to two 
thousand warriors. An expedition against them, with a view of 
extirpating them, or destroying their towns, could not be under- 
taken, with a probability of success, with less than an army of two 
thousand five hundred men. The regular troops of the United 
States on the frontiers are less than six hundred." * * * "An 
inquiry arises whether, under the existing circumstances of affairs, 
the United States have a clear right, consistently with the princi- 
ples of justice and the laws of nature, to proceed to the destruction 
or expulsion of the savages on the Wabash, supposing the force for 
that object easily attainable. " 

1789. — Extract from a Letter Written " by an Officer Belonging to the Federal 
Troops," Dated "Rapids of the Ohio, 1st July, 1789." 

" Our affairs in this quarter at present bear a gloomy aspect. I 
am just returned from Post St. Vincent on the Wabash, with 
a detachment of fifty-five men, who were employed as an escort to 
provisions for that garrison, and believe me, sir, it is almost next 
to an accident that my whole party was not cut off. The river was 
lined with Indians. I completed a passage to and from the post in 
twenty-one days. * * * The presence of the governor is much 
wanted at the different settlements on the Mississippi, and indeed 
if he does not come out soon, we may judge from appearances, those 
settlements will generally break up. * * * I learn that on the 
first of next month Major Hardin, with two hundred volunteers on 
horseback, from the district of Kentucky, are to assemble at the 
rapids on their way to some of the Indian towns on White river in 
order to destroy a banditti that live there and are very troublesome 
to the settlement." [American Museum for August, 1789.] 

1789. On the 26th of August, 1789, Colonel John Hardin, at 
the head of about two hundred mounted men from Kentucky, 
marched from the falls of the Ohio to attack some Indians who 
dwelt on the Wabash or its tributaries. This expedition returned to 
Louisville without the loss of a man, having killed six Indians, plun- 
dered and burned one deserted village, and destroyed a considera- 
ble quantity of corn. 



474 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

1789. On the 14th of September, 1789, Governor St. Clair ad- 
dressed to President Washington a letter, from which the follow- 
ing is an extract : " The constant hostilities between the Indians 
who live upon the river Wabash and the people of Kentucky, must 
necessarily be attended with such embarrassing circumstances to the 
government of the northwestern territory, that I am induced to re- 
quest you will be pleased to take the matter into consideration, 
and give me the orders you may think proper. It is not to be ex- 
pected, sir, that the Kentucky people will or can submit patiently 
to the cruelties and depredations of those savages. They are in the 
habit of retaliation, perhaps without attending precisely to the 
nations from which the injuries are received. They will continue 
to retaliate, or they will apply to the governor of the northwestern 
territory (through which the Indians must pass to attack them) for 
redress. If he can not redress them (and in the present circum- 
stances he can not), they also will march through that country to 
redress themselves, and the government will be laid prostrate. 
The United States, on the other hand, are at peace with several of 
the nations, and should the resentment of these people [the Ken- 
tuckians] fall upon any of them, which it is likely enough to hap- 
pen, very bad consequences may follow. For it must appear to 
them [the Indians] that the United States either pay no regard to 
their treaties, or that they are unable or unwilling to carry their 
engagements into effect. * * * They will unite with the hos- 
tile nations, prudently preferring open war to a delusive and un- 
certain peace." 

1789. September 29th, the president of the United States was 
authorized by an act of Congress to call forth the militia of the 
states respectively, for the protection of the frontiers against the in- 
cursions of hostile Indians. 

1789. North Bend, on the Ohio river, was laid out by John 
Cleves Symmes, who soon afterwards laid out a place called South 
Bend, at a point on the Ohio river, about seven miles above North 
Bend. 

1789. November 17th, General Samuel Holden Parsons, one 



CHKONOLOGICAL KECORDS. 475 

of the judges of the general court of the territory of the United 
States northwest of the Ohio river, was drowned in Big Beaver in 
attempting with one man to pass down that stream in a canoe. 
[Pennsylvania Historical Society Collections, vi. 73.] 

1789. June 1st, Major John Doughty, with about one hun- 
dred and forty-five regular soldiers, arrived at the site of Cincin- 
nati, and soon afterward commenced the work of building Fort 
Washington at that place. 

1789. A letter dated, " Miamis, opposite Licking, August 27, 
1789," says : " Major Doughty, with a strong detachment, is erect- 
ing a garrison at this place. General Harmar is expected to move 
here in a few weeks." [Pennsylvania Journal of November 25, 
1789.] 

1789. There was a failure of the corn crop among the settlers 
about Vincennes. 

1789. The following documents (translated from the original 
manuscript orders) will enable the reader to form an opinion of 
the manner in which the muncipal affairs of Post Vincennes were 
regulated and controlled while Major Hamtramck acted as com- 
mandant of that place : 

" Resolution of the Inhabitants of Post Vincennes. 

" We, the undersigned inhabitants of Post Vincennes (having 
for some time past noticed the conduct of many of our neighbors, 
who, to the prejudice of the public good, appropriate to themselves 
quantities of land on the commons, not as homes for their families, 
according to the spirit and meaning of the law regulating grants, 
but for the purpose of carrying on an improper traffic with persons 
who are not permanent citizens), are of the opinion that all persons 
should be prohibited from cultivating any lot or piece of ground in 
our commons, until permission to that effect be received from the 
general government, and that, in the meantime, the privilege be 
granted to each family to take and occupy, for their own use, a lot 
fifty yards square. 



476 CHKONOLOGICAL EECOEDS. 

" Made, concluded, and signed with our ordinary marks, at a 
meeting held on Sunday, the 10th day of May, 1789. 

" [Signed] Jean Bapt. Miliet, Dubois, 

Pierre La Forest, Jos. Binette, 

Alexander Vallee, Medard Bailliarjon, 

Pierre Queret, Chine, 

Pierre Cournoyer, Joseph Chartier, 

Francois Brouillette, Pierre Cartier, 

Francois Trudelle, Jacques Cardinal, 

Amable Quarquijus, Charles Boneau, 

Joseph Poirier, Joseph Vaudry, 

Francois Baril, Louis Boyer. 

"Drawn up, according to the intentions of the signers, by us 
['pars nous']. Antoine Gamelin, Notary and Register." 

"Fort Knox, May 10, 1789. 
"In consequence of a request presented to me, all persons are ex- 
pressly prohibited (under the penalty of a fine for the first trespass, 
and imprisonment for the second) from cultivating any lot or piece 
of ground on the commons, or occupying any part thereof, without 
regular permission. J. F. Hamtramck, 

"Major 1st U. S. Reg't and Com'd't." 

" Ordinance. 

"Many persons having sold their goods and lands, to the preju- 
dice of their creditors, the inhabitants and others of the district of 
Post Vincennes are expressly prohibited, henceforth, from selling 
or exchanging or mortgaging any part of their goods, lands or 
slaves, under any pretext, without express permission from the of- 
ficer commanding at this place. This ordinance to remain in force 
until the arrival of his excellency, the governor. 

" Given under my hand and seal, in Fort Knox, at Post Vin- 
cennes, the 24th day of March, 1790. 

" J. F. Hamtramck, Major Commandant." 

1789. Bathsheba Rouse, daughter of John Rouse, was the first 
female school teacher in the territory of the United States north- 
west of the Ohio river. She began to teach in 1789 at Belpre, in 



ICHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS, 477 

u Farmers' Castle/' on the banks of the river Ohio, below the, 
mouth of the Muskingum. 

1789. Fenno's Gazette of the United States, printed at New 
York, on the 22d of July, 1789, says: "The settlement of the 
western territory is considered by many persons as an event inaus- 
picious to the interests of those states situated upon the Atlantic. 
* * * In proportion as we advance to empire our ideas will 
expand, and the period is fast approaching when those extensive re- 
gions will prove a boundless source of wealth to the Union." 

1789. Two boys, Henry Johnson and James Johnson, were 
captured by Indians on the borders of the Ohio river, near the 
mouth of Short creek. The boys killed their captors while they 
were sleeping at night, and thus made their escape. [Pennsylvania 
Journal, December 9, 1789.] 

1789. In April, 1789, some murders were committed by In- 
dians at the mouth of Dunkard creek, a tributary of the Monon- 
gahela river. 

1789. December 29th, General Josiah Harmar, with about 
three hundred regular troops, arrived at Fort Washington, at the 
site of Cincinnati. 

1789. April 30th, Washington took the oath of office as pres- 
ident of the United States. 

1790. Early in January, 1790, Governor St. Clair arrived at 
the settlement about Fort Washington. He induced the proprie- 
tors of the village to change its name of " Losantiville " for the 
name of Cincinnati. At this place the governor laid out the county 
of Hamilton, and appointed magistrates and other civil officers 
for the administration of the laws. 

1790. In January, 1790, Governor St. Clair and Winthrop 
Sargent, secretary of the territory, proceeded to Kaskaskia to or- 
ganize civil government in the Illinois country, and to carry into 
effect the resolutions of Congress relative to the lands and settlers 
about Kaskaskia and Vincennes. 

1790. A letter dated, " Post Vincennes, March 19, 1790/' writ- 



478 CHRONOLOGICAL EECORDS. 

ten by Major John F. Hamtramck, and addressed to Governor St. 
Clair, contained the following passage : " I have this day sent a 
boat to the falls [of the Ohio] for eight hundred bushels of corn, 
which I shall deliver to the people of the village, who are in a 
starving condition, so much so that, on the 16th instant, a woman, 
a boy of about thirteen, and a girl of about seven years of age, 
were drove to the woods by hunger, poisoned themselves by eating 
some wild roots, and have since died of it." [St. Clair Papers.] 

Major Hamtramck had received instructions from Governor St. 
Clair to furnish the starving people of Vincennes with corn. The 
governor, in his instructions, said : " They must pay for what they 
can of it, but they must not be suffered to perish, and though I 
have no direct authority from the government for this purpose, I 
must take it upon myself." 

1790. In the latter part of April, 1790, General Harmar, with 
about one hundred regular troops and about two hundred and 
thirty volunteers from Kentucky, under the command of General 
Charles Scott, marched from the vicinity of Limestone [Maysville] 
into the Indian country to punish some hostile tribes who inhab- 
ited the country lying about the mouth of the Scioto river. On 
this expedition four Indians were discovered, killed and scalped by 
a small detachment of the militia under General Scott. In a let- 
ter, dated, "June 9, 1790," and addressed to the secretary of war, 
General Harmar said : "At the solicitation of the inhabitants of 
Kentucky, I was induced to endeavor to break up a nest of vaga- 
bond Indians who had infested the river, and seemed to make it 
an object to establish themselves near the mouth of the Scioto in 
order to interrupt the navigation of the Ohio, and to plunder and 
murder the emigrants. I am sorry that my endeavors were un- 
successful, as the villains had retreated. Wolves might as well 
have been pursued. Every exertion in my power was made with- 
out effect. * * * On the first day's march, four moccasin 
tracks were discovered. General Scott detached a small party of 
horsemen, who fell in with the savages, killed them, and brought 
the four scalps into Limestone." 

1790. At this period, the miserable condition of the French 
inhabitants about Kaskaskia and Cahokia was pathetically de- 



CHKONOLOGICAL EECOKDS. 479 

scribed in a memorial, which was dated, " St. Clair County, June 
9, 1790," addressed, " To His Excellency, Arthur St. Clair, Gov- 
ernor and Commander-in-chief of the Territory of the United 
States Northwest of the River Ohio," and signed by " P. Gibault, 
priest," and eighty-seven others. The following is an extract from 
the memorial : 

" The memorial humbly showeth that by an act of Congress 
of June 20, 1788, it was declared that the lands heretofore pos- 
sessed by the said inhabitants should be surveyed at their expense, 
and that this clause appears to them neither necessary nor adapted 
to quiet the minds of the people. It does not appear necessary, 
because from the establishment of the colony to this day, they have 
enjoyed their property and possessions without disputes or lawsuits 
on the subject of their limits; that the surveys of them were made 
at the time the concessions were obtained from their ancient kings, 
lords and commandants, and that each of them knew what belonged 
to him without attempting an encroachment on his neighbor, or 
fearing that his neighbor would encroach on him. It does not ap- 
pear adapted to pacify them, because, instead of assuring to them 
the peaceable possession of their ancient inheritances, as they have 
enjoyed it till now, that clause obliges them to bear expenses 
which, in their present situation, they are absolutely incapable of 
paying, and for the failure of which they must be deprived of their 
lands. 

u Your excellency is an eye-witness of the poverty to which the 
inhabitants are reduced, and of the total want of provisions to sub- 
sist on. Not knowing where to find a morsel of bread to nourish 
their families, by what means can they support the expense of a 
survey which has not been sought for on their parts, and for which 
it is conceived by them there is no necessity? Loaded with 
misery, and groaning under the weight of misfortunes, accumulated 
since the Virginia troops entered their country, the unhappy in- 
habitants throw themselves under the protection of your excellency, 
and take the liberty to solicit you to lay their deplorable situation 
before Congress, and as it may be interesting for the United States 
to know exactly the extent and limits of their ancient possessions, 
in order to ascertain the lands which are yet at the disposal of Con- 
gress, it appears to them, in their humble opinion, that the expense 



480 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

of the survey ought more properly to be borne by Congress, for 
whom alone it is useful, than by them who do not feel the neces- 
sity of it. Beside, this is no object for the United States, but it is 
great, too great, for a few unhappy beings, who, your excellency 
sees yourself, are scarcely able to support their pitiful existence." 

1790 Speeches sent to the Wabash Indians by Major Ham- 
tramck, who was in command at Vincennes. 

1790. On the 30th of September, 1790, General Harmar com- 
menced his march from Fort Washington at Cincinnati, to destroy 
the Indian villages which stood at the head of the Maumee river, 
at the present site of Fort Wayne, Indiana. His force consisted of 
about one thousand four hundred and fifty-three men, comprising 
three hundred and twenty regular troops, three battalions of Ken- 
tucky militia, one battalion of Pennsylvania militia, and one small 
battalion of light troops or mounted militia. When the advanced 
detachment, under the command of Colonel Hardin, reached the 
Miami village, in the afternoon of the 15th of October, the Indians 
had deserted the place, leaving behind them some cows and large 
quantities of corn and vegetables, and the militia, in parties of 
thirty or forty, regardless of discipline, strolled about in search of 
plunder. 

Soon after the arrival of the main body of the army at the Mi- 
ami village, Major McMullen and others reported to General Har- 
mar that the tracks of women and children had been discovered on 
an Indian path leading from the village a northwest course toward 
the Kickapoo towns. The general, supposing that the Indians 
with their families and baggage had encamped at some point not 
far from the Miami village, determined to make an effort to dis- 
cover the place of their encampment, and to bring them to a bat- 
tle. Accordingly he detached Colonel Trotter, Major Hall, Major 
Ray and Major McMullen, with a force amounting to three hun- 
dred men, and composed of thirty regular troops, forty of Major 
Fontaine's light horse, and two hundred and thirty active riflemen. 
The detachment was furnished with three days' provision, and or- 
dered to examine the country around the Miami village. After 
these troops, under the command of Colonel Trotter, had moved 
about one mile from the encampment, the light horsemen discov- 






CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. . 481 

ered, pursued and killed an Indian on horseback. Before this 
party returned to the columns, a second Indian was discovered, 
when the four field-officers left their commands, and pursued the 
Indian, leaving the troops for the space of about half an hour with- 
out any directions whatever. The flight of the second Indian was 
intercepted by the light horsemen, who dispatched him after he had 
wounded one of their party. Colonel Trotter then changed the 
route of his detachment, and marched in various directions until 
night, when he returned to the camp at the Miami village. On the 
18th the following general orders were published: 

" Camp at the Miami Village, October 18, 1790. 
" The general is much mortified at the unsoldier-like behavior 
of many of the men in the army, who make it a practice to straggle 
from the camp in search of plunder. He, in the most positive 
terms, forbids this practice in future, and the guards will be an- 
swerable to prevent it. No party is to go beyond the line of sen- 
tinels without a commissioned officer, who, if of the militia, will 
apply to Colonel Hardin for his orders. The regular troops will 
apply to the general. All the plunder that may be hereafter col- 
lected will be equally distributed among the army. The kettles 
and every other article already taken, are to be collected by the 
commanding officers of battalions, and to be delivered to-morrow 
morning to Mr. Belli, the quartermaster, that a fair distribution 
may take place. The rolls are to be called at troop and retreat 
beating, and every man absent is to be reported. The general ex- 
pects that these orders will be pointedly attended to ; they are to 
be read to the troops this evening. The army is to march to-mor- 
row morning early for their new encampment at Chillicothe, about 
two miles from hence. 

"Josiah Harmar, Brigadier-General." 

The return of Colonel Trotter to camp, on the evening of the 
18th, was unexpected by General Harmar, and did not receive his 
approbation. Colonel Hardin asked for the command of the same 
detachment for the remaining two days, and his request was granted. 
On the morning of the 19th, the detachment, under the command 
of Colonel Hardin, marched a northwest course on the Indian path 
31 






482 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

which led toward the Kickapoo towns, and after passing a morass 
about five miles distant from the Miami village, the troops came to 
a place where, on the preceding day, a party of Indians had en- 
camped. At this spot the detachment made a short halt, and the 
commanding officer stationed the companies at points several rods 
apart. After the lapse of about half an hour, the companies in- 
front were ordered to move on, and Captain Faulkner's company 
was left on the ground, the colonel having neglected to give him 
orders to march. The troops moved forward about three miles, 
when they discovered two Indians on foot, who threw off their 
packs, and, the brush being thick, made their escape. 

About this time, Colonel Hardin dispatched Major Fontaine, 
with part of the cavalry, in search of Captain Faulkner, supposing 
him to be lost, and soon afterward Captain Armstrong, who com- 
manded the regulars, informed Colonel Hardin that a gun had been 
fired in front, which might be considered as an alarm gun, and that 
he had seen the "tracks of a horse that had come down the road 
and returned." The colonel, however, moved on without giving 
any orders, or making any arrangements for an attack, and when 
Captain Armstrong discovered the fires of the Indians at a distance, 
and informed Colonel Hardin of the circumstance, that officer, say- 
ing that the Indians would not fight, rode in front of the advanced 
columns until the detachment was fired on from behind the fires. 
The militia, with the exception of nine who remained with the reg- 
ulars and were killed, immediately gave way and commenced an 
irregular retreat, which they continued until they reached the main 
army. Hardin, who retreated with them, made several ineffectual 
attempts to rally them. The small band of regulars, obstinately 
brave, maintained their ground until twenty-two were killed, when 
Captain Armstrong, Ensign Hartshorne, and five or six privates, 
escaped from the carnage, eluded the pursuit of the Indians, and 
arrived at the camp of General Harmar. The number of Indians 
who were engaged on this occasion can not be ascertained.* They 
were commanded by a distinguished Miami chief, whose name was 

*Captain Armstrong, under oath, estimated the number at one hundred men. 
Colonel Hardin, in a deposition which he made in 1791, estimated the number at 
about one hundred and fifty men. Some writers, on questionable authority, have 
estimated the number of Indians at seven hundred. 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 483 

Mish-e-ken-o-quoh, which signifies the Little Turtle. The ground 
on which the action took place lies about eleven miles from Fort 
Wayne, and near the point at which the Goshen state road crosses 
Eel river. 

Captain Armstrong, in his journal, says: u On the 19th, Col. 
Hardin commanded in lieu of Col. Trotter. Attacked about one 
hundred Indians fifteen miles west of the Miami village; and 
from the dastardly conduct of the militia, the troops were obliged 
to retreat. I lost one sergeant, and twenty-one out of thirty men 
of my command. The Indians, on this occasion, gained a com- 
plete victory — having killed, in the whole, near one hundred men, 
which was about their number. Many of the militia threw away 
their arms without firing a shot, ran through the federal troops and 
threw them in disorder. Many of the Indians must have been 
killed, as I saw my men bayonet many of them. They fought and 
died hard." 

On the morning of the 19th, the main body of the army, under 
Harmar, having destroyed the Miami village, moved about two 
miles to a Shawanee village, which was called Chillicothe, where 
on the 20th, the general published the following orders: 

" Camp at Chillicothe, one of the Shawanee towns, ) 
on the Omee [Maumee] river, Oct. 20, 1790. J 

" The party under command of Captain Strong is ordered to 
burn and destroy every house and wigwam in this village, together 
with all the corn, etc., which he can collect. A party of one hun- 
dred men (militia), properly officered, under the command of 
Colonel Hardin, is to burn and destroy, effectually, this afternoon, 
the Pickaway town (a Shawanee village), with all the corn, etc., 
which he can find in it and its vicinity. 

"The cause of the detachment being worsted yesterday was 
entirely owing to the shameful, cowardly conduct of the militia, 
who ran away, and threw down their arms, without firing scarcely 
a single gun. In returning to Fort Washington, if any officer or 
men shall presume to quit the ranks, or not to march in the form 
that they are ordered, the general will most assuredly order the 
artillery to fire on them. He hopes the check they received yes- 
terday will make them in future obedient to orders. 

" Josiah Haemar, Brigadier General." 






484 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

At ten o'clock A. M., on the 21st, the array moved from the 
ruins of the Chillicothe village, marched about seven miles on the 
route to Fort Washington, and encamped. The night being very 
clear, Colonel Hardin informed General Harmar that he thought 
it would be a good opportunity to steal a march on the Indians, as 
he had reason to believe that they had returned to the towns 
as soon as the army had left them. Harmar did not seem to be 
willing to send a party back; but Hardin u urged the matter, 
informing the general that, as he had been unfortunate the other 
day, he wished to have it in his power to pick the militia and try 
it again; and at the same time endeavored to account for the men's 
not fighting ; and desired an opportunity to retrieve the credit of 
the militia."* 

In order to satisfy the request of Hardin, and give the Indians 
a check, and thus prevent their harassing the army on its return to 
Fort Washington, General Harmar determined to send back a 
detachment of four hundred men. Accordingly, late on the night 
of the 21st, a corps of three hundred and forty militia, and sixty 
regular troops under the command of Major Wyllys, were detached, 
that they might gain the vicinity of the Miami village before day- 
break, and surprise any Indians who might be found there. The 
detachments marched in three columns. The regular troops were 
in the center, at the head of which Captain Joseph Ashton was 
posted, with Major Wyllys and Colonel Hardin in his front. The 
militia formed the columns to the right and left. Owing to some 
delay, occasioned by the halting of the militia, the detachment did 
not reach the banks of the Maumee until some time after sunrise. 
The spies then discovered some Indians and reported to Major 
W 7 yllys, who halted the regular troops, and moved the militia on 
some distance in front, where he gave his orders and plan of attack 
to the several commanding officers of the corps. Major Wyllys 
reserved to himself the command of the regular troops. Major 
Hall, with his battalion, was directed to take a circuitous route 
round the bend of the Maumee river, cross the St. Mary's, and 
there, in the rear of the Indians, wait until the attack should be 
brought on by Major McMullen's battalion, Major Fontaine's cav- 

*Deponition of Colonel Hardin, taken 14th September, 1791. 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 485 

airy, and the regular troops under Major Wyllys, who were all 
ordered to cross the Maumee at and near the common fording 
place. 

It was the intention of Hardin and Wyllys to surround the 
Indian encampment; but Major Hall, who had gained his position 
undiscovered, disobeyed his orders by firing on a single Indian, 
before the commencement of the action. Several small parties of 
Indians were soon seen flying in different directions, and the mili- 
tia under McMullen, and the cavalry under Fontaine, pursued 
them in disobedience of orders, and left Major Wyllys unsup- 
ported. The consequence was, that the regulars, after crossing 
the Maumee, were attacked by a superior force of Indians, and 
compelled to retreat, with the loss of Major Wyllys and the 
greater part of their corps. Major Fontaine, at the head of the 
mounted militia, fell, with a number of his followers, in making a 
charge against a small party of Indians ; and, on his fall, the 
remainder of his troops dispersed. While the main body of the 
Indians, led by the Little Turtle, were engaged with the regulars 
near the banks of the Maumee, some skirmishing took place near 
the confluence of the rivers St. Mary's and St. Joseph, between 
detached parties of Indians and the militia under Hall and McMul- 
len. After the defeat of the regulars the militia retreated on the 
route to the main army ; and the Indians, having suffered a severe 
loss, did not pursue them. About eleven o'clock A. M., a single 
horseman reached the camp of Harmar, with news of the defeat of 
the detachment. The general then immediately ordered Major 
Ray to march with his battalion to the assistance of the retreating 
parties; but so great was the panic which prevailed among the 
militia that only thirty men could be induced to leave the main 
army. With this small number Major Ray proceeded a short dis- 
tance toward the scene of action, when he met Colonel Hardin on 
his retreat. 

On reaching the encampment of Harmar, Colonel Hardin 
requested the general to march back to the Miami village with the 
whole army; but Harmar said to him: "You see the situation of 
the army ; we are now scarcely able to move our baggage ; it will 
take up three days to go and return to this place; we have no 
more forage for our horses; the Indians have got a very good 



486 CHEONOLOGICAL KECORDS. 

scourging; and I will keep the army in perfect readiness to receive 
them, should they think proper to follow."* The general, at this 
time, had lost all confidence in the militia. The bounds of the 
camp were made less, and, at eight o'clock on the morning of the 
23d, the army took up the line of march for Fort Washington, 
and reached that place on the 4th of November, having lost, in 
the expedition, one hundred and eighty-three killed and thirty-one 
wounded. Among the killed were Major Wyllys and Lieutenant 
Ebenezer Frothingham, of the regular troops; and Major Fon- 
taine, Captains Thorp, McMurtrey and Scott, Lieutenants Clark 
and Rogers, and Ensigns Bridges, Sweet, Higgins, and Thielkeld, 
of the militia. The Indians, whose loss was about equal to that 
of the whites, did not annoy the army after the action of the 22d 
of October. During this expedition, the Kentuckians expressed 
the opinion that regular soldiers were unfit for Indian warfare. 

1790. In June, 1790, Governor St. Clair charged the secretary 
of the territory, Winthrop Sargent, with the duty of carrying into 
effect the resolutions of congress relative to the lands and settlers on 
the river Wabash, and directed that officer to proceed to Post Vin- 
cennes, lay out a county, organize the militia, and appoint the ne- 
cessary civil and military officers. 

Mr. Sargent, upon whom the duties of governor thus devolved, 
proceeded immediately from Kaskaskia to Post Vincennes, where 
he laid out the county of Knox, appointed various civil and mili- 
tary officers, organized the militia, notified the inhabitants to pre- 
sent their claims to lands, and carried the resolutions of Congress 
into effect as to all the claims to which those resolutions could be 
clearly applied. "Although," says Mr. Sargent, in a report which 
he made to President Washington, on the 31st of July, 1790, "the 
lands and lots which were awarded to the inhabitants appeared, 
from very good oral testimony, to belong to those persons to whom 
they were awarded, either by original grants, purchase or inherit- 
ance, yet there was scarcely one case in twenty where the title was 
complete, owing to the desultory manner in which public business 
had been transacted and some other unfortunate causes. The orig- 
inal concessions by the French and British commandants were 

^Deposition of Colonel Hardin, September 14, 1791. 



CHRONOLOGICAL RPXOKDS. 487 

generally made upon a small scrap of* paper, which it has been cus- 
tomary to lodge in the notary's office, who has seldom kept any 
book of record, but committed the most important land concerns to 
loose sheets, which, in process of time, have come into possession 
of persons that have fraudulently destroyed them, or, unacquainted 
with th-eir consequence, innocently lost or trifled them away; for, 
by the French usage, they are considered as family inheritances, 
and often descend to women and children. In one instance, and 
during the government of Mr. St. Ange here, a royal notary ran 
off with all the public papers in his possession, as by a certificate 
produced to me. And I am very sorry further to observe that in 
the office of Mr. Le Grand, which continued from the year 1777 to 
1787, and where should have been the vouchers for important land 
transactions, the records have been so falsified, and there is such 
gross fraud and forgery as to invalidate all evidence and informa- 
tion which I might otherwise have acquired from his papers." 

While the acting governor was taking measures to confirm the 
ancient settlers in their possessions and rights, he received a peti- 
tion signed by eighty Americans, praying for the confirmation of 
various grants of land which had been made by the court of Post 
Vincennes between the years 1779 and 1787. The French inhab- 
itants also laid before Mr. Sargent a petition on the same subject, 
and when that officer requested some of the magistrates of the court 
of Post Vincennes to give him their reasons for having assumed 
the power to dispose of lands, he received the following answer: 

"Post Vincennes, July 3, 1790. 

"" To the Honorable Winthrop Sargent, Esquire, Secretary in and for the Territory 
of the United States Northwest of the Eiver Ohio, and vested with all the pow- 
ers of Governor and Commander-in-Chief : 

" Sir: As you have given verbal orders to the magistrates who 
formerly composed the court of the district of Post Vincennes, un- 
der the jurisdiction of the state of Virginia, to give you their rea- 
sons for having taken upon them to grant concessions for the lands 
within the district, in obedience thereto, we beg leave to inform 
you that their principal reason is, that since the establishment of 
this country, the commandants have always appeared to be vested 
with the power to give lands. Their founder, Mr. Vincennes, be- 
gan to give concessions, and all his successors have given lands and 



488 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

lots. Mr. Le Gras was appointed commandant of Post Vincennes 
by the lieutenant of the county, John Todd, who was, in the year 
1779, sent by the state of Virginia for to regulate the government 
of the country, and who substituted Mr. Le Gras with his power. 
In his absence, Mr. Le Gras, who was then commandant, assumed 
that he had, in quality of commandant, authority to give lands ac- 
cording to the ancient usages of other commandants, and he verb- 
ally informed the court of Post Vincennes, that when they would 
judge it proper to give lands or lots to those who should come into 
the country to settle, or otherwise, they might do it, and that he 
gave them permission so to do. These are the reasons that we 
acted upon, and if we have done more than we ought, it was on ac- 
count of the little knowledge which we had of public affairs. 

"F. Bosseron. 

"L. Edeline. 

"Pierre Gamelin. 

HIS 

"Pierre x Querez." 

MARK. 

1790. Early in the fall of 1790 Major Hamtramck, with at 
small force, marched up the Wabash as far as the river Vermillion,, 
destroyed some deserted Indian villages, and returned to his post 
at Vincennes. At this time it was believed that there were about 
two thousand Indian warriors on the borders of the Wabash and 
its tributaries. 

1790. It was estimated by Judge Innis, of Kentucky, that r 
from 1783 to 1790, inclusive, about fifteen hundred white persons, 
including men, women and children, were either killed or carried 
into captivity by the Indians of the northwest. [Innis' Letter 
to the Secretary of War, in 1790.] 

Colonel John Floyd, a distinguished pioneer settler in Ken- 
tucky, in describing the Indian mode of carrying on a war, said:. 
" The Indians, in besieging a place, are seldom seen in force upon, 
any quarter, but dispersed, and acting individually or in small par- 
ties. They conceal themselves in the bushes or weeds, or behind 
trees or stumps of trees, or waylay the paths, or fields, or other 
places where their enemies resort; and when one or more can be 
taken down, in their opinion, they fire the gun or let fly the arrow* 



CHRONOLOGICAL KECOKDS. 489 

aimed at the mark. If necessary, they retreat. If they dare, they 
advance upon their killed or crippled adversary and take his scalp, 
or make him prisoner, if possible. They aim to cut off the garri- 
son supplies by killing the cattle; and they watch the watering 
places for those who go for that article of primary necessity, that 
they may, by these means, reduce the place to their possession, or 
destroy its inhabitants in detail. * ' * * In the night they will 
place themselves near the fort gate, ready to sacrifice the first per- 
son who shall appear in the morning. * * * At other times 
they approach the walls or palisades with the utmost audacity and 
attempt to fire them or to beat down the gate. They often make 
feints to draw out the garrison on one side of the fort and, if prac- 
ticable, enter it by surprise on the other. And when their stock 
of provision is exhausted, this being an individual affair, they sup- 
ply themselves by hunting, and again frequently return to the 
siege, if by any means they hope to get a scalp. * * * Such 
was the enemy who infested Kentucky, and with whom the early 
adventurers had to contend, In combat they were brave; in 
defeat they were dexterous; in victory they were cruel." 

The Rev. Dr. Doddridge, whose father was among the pioneer 
settlers of the west, as early as 1773, says: "My readers will 
understand by this term (the fort) not only a place of defense, but 
the residence of a small number of families belonging to the same 
neighborhood. As the Indian mode of warfare was an indiscrim- 
inate slaughter of all ages and both sexes, it was as requisite to 
provide for the safety of the women and children as for that of the 
men. The fort consisted of cabins, block-houses and stockades. 
A range of cabins commonly formed one side at least of the fort. 
Divisions, or partitions of logs, separated the cabins from each 
other. The walls on the outside were ten or twelve feet high, 
the slope of the roof being turned wholly inward. A very few of 
these cabins had puncheon floors; the greater part were earthen. 
The block-houses were built at the angles of the fort. They pro- 
jected about two feet beyond the outer walls of the cabins and 
stockades. Their upper stories were about eighteen feet every 
way, larger in every way than the under one, leaving an opening 
at the commencement of the second story to prevent the enemy 
from making a lodgment under their walls. In some forts, instead 



490 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

of block-houses, the angles of the fort were furnished with bas- 
tions. A large folding gate, made of thick slabs, nearest the 
spring, closed the fort. The stockades, bastions, cabins and block- 
house walls were furnished with port-holes at proper heights and 
distances. The whole of the outside was made completely bullet 
proof. It may be truly said that ' necessity is the mother of inven- 
tion/ for the whole of this work was made without the aid of a 
single nail or spike of iron ; and for this reason — such things were 
not to be had. 

" In some places less exposed a single block-house, with a cabin 
or two, constituted the whole fort. * * * The families 

belonging to these forts were so attached to their own cabins on 
their farms that they seldom moved into the fort in the spring, 
until compelled by some alarm, as they called it — that is, when it 
was announced by some murder that the Indians were in the set- 
tlement." 

1791. On the evening of January 2, 1791, at a settlement 
called Big Bottom, on the Muskingum river, about forty miles 
above Marietta, the Indians killed eleven men, one woman and 
two children. Soon after the time of these murders the directors 
of the " Ohio Company of Associates " voted to raise and pay 
troops, to be employed in the defense of their settlements. 

1791. On the 8th of January, 1791, General Rufus Putnam, 
who was one of the "Ohio Company Associates/' and the founder 
of the settlement at Marietta, wrote to President Washington as 
follows: 

" Marietta, January 8, 1791. 

" Sir : — The mischief which I feared has overtaken us much 
sooner than I expected. On the evening of the 2d instant, 
between sunset and daylight-in, the Indians surprised a new settle- 
ment of our people at a place on the Muskingum called Big Bot- 
tom, nearly forty miles up the river, in which disaster eleven men, 
one woman and two children were killed; three men are missing, 
and four others made their escape. Thus, sir, the war which was 
partial before the campaign of last year, is, in all probability, 
become general; for I think that there is no reason to suppose that 
we are the only people on whom the savages will wreak their ven- 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 491 

geance, or that the number of hostile Indians have not increased 
since the late expedition. Our situation is truly critical. The 
governor and secretary both being absent, no assistance from Vir- 
ginia or Pennsylvania can be had. The garrison at Fort Harmar, 
consisting at this time of little more than twenty men, can afford 
no protection to our settlements; and the whole number of men, 
in all our settlements, capable of bearing arms, including all civil 
and military officers, does not exceed two hundred and eighty- 
seven, and these, many of them, badly armed. We are in the 
utmost danger of being swallowed up should the enemy push the 
war with vigor during the winter. This, I believe, will fully 
appear by taking a short view of our several settlements, and, I 
hope, justify the extraordinary measures we have adopted for want 
of a legal authority in the territory to apply for aid in the busi- 
ness. The situation of our people is nearly as follows: 

" At Marietta are about eighty houses in the distance of one 
mile, with scattering houses about three miles up the river. A set 
of mills at Duck Creek, four miles distant, and another mill two 
miles up the Muskingum. Twenty-two miles up this river is a 
settlement, consisting of about twenty families; about two miles 
from them, on Wolf creek, are five families and a set of mills. 
Down the Ohio, and opposite the Little Kanawha, commences the 
settlement called Belle Prairie, which extends down the river, 
with little interruption, about twelve miles, and contains between 
thirty and forty houses. Before the late disaster we had several 
other settlements, which are already broken up. I have taken 
the liberty to inclose the proceedings of the Ohio Company and 
justices of the sessions on this occasion, and beg leave, with the 
greatest deference, to observe that, unless government speedily 
send a body of troops for our protection, we are a ruined people. 
The removal of the women, children, etc., will reduce many of the 
poorer sort to the greatest straits; but if we add to this the destruc- 
tion of their corn, forage and cattle by the enemy, which is very 
probable to ensue, I know of no way they can be supported; 
but, if this should not happen, where these people are to raise 
bread another year is not easy to conjecture ; and most of them 
have nothing left to buy with. But my fears do not stop here. 
We are a people so far detached from all others, in point of situa- 



492 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

tion, that we can hope for do timely relief, in case of emergency, 
from any of our neighbors ; and among the numbers that compose 
our military strength almost one half are young men, hired into 
the country, intending to settle by and by. These, under present 
circumstances, will probably leave us soon, unless prospects should 
brighten ; and, as to new settlers, we can expect none in our pres- 
ent situation; so that, instead of increasing in strength, we are like 
to diminish daily ; and, if we do not fall a prey to the savages, we 
shall be so reduced and discouraged as to give up the settlement, 
unless government shall give us timely protection. It has been a 
mystery to some why the troops have been withdrawn from this 
quarter, and collected at the Miami [Symmes > purchase]. That 
settlement is, I believe, within three or four days' march of a very 
populous part of Kentucky, whence, in a few days, they might be 
reinforced with several thousand men; whereas, we are not within 
two hundred miles of any settlement that can probably more than 
protect themselves. But I forbear suggestions of this sort, and 
will only observe further, that our present situation is truly dis- 
tressing ; and I do, therefore, most earnestly implore the protec- 
tion of government for myself and friends inhabiting these wilds 
of America. To this we conceive ourselves justly entitled ; and 
so far as you, sir, have the means in your power, we rest assured 
that we shall receive it in due time. 

" I have the honor to be, with the highest possible respect, sir, 
your most obedient and most humble servant. 

''Rufus Putnam. * 9 

1791. — Extract from MSS. of Captain John Armstrong, of the United States Army- 
written near St. Louis, 1791. 

"The inhabitants of Paincourt (a village on the French side of the 
Mississippi) relate a story, which with them has gained much credit, 
of a cave on the river Merirnaek,* three days' march from Pain- 
court,f in which there is an altar, candlesticks, holy basin or fount, 
and all the other images. There is, also, it is said, in this place, 
a billiard table with the balls, etc., all of which are in a state of 
petrifaction. There are, also, many household utensils petrified. 

"*Maramec, a river of Missouri. 

tSt. Louis was called Paincourt, on account of the scarcity of [bread] provisions, 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 493 

The cave is very large, and from the entrance thereof passing 
through a narrow passage takes the traveler several hours. In 
breaking the candles there is a hollow place in the center, sup- 
posed to be where the wick was. It is also said that if you empty 
the holy fount it fills again immediately." 

1791. On the 23d of May, 1791, General Charles Scott, of 
Kentucky, with about eight hundred mounted men, crossed the 
Ohio at the mouth of Kentucky river, and commenced his march 
for Ouiatenon, on the Wabash river. In his official report to the 
secretary of war, General Scott says: "On the same day [June 
4, 1791], after having burned the towns and adjacent villages, and 
destroyed the growing corn and pulse, I began my march for the 
rapids of the Ohio, where I arrived the 14th of June, without the 
loss of a single man by the enemy, and five only wounded; having 
killed thirty-two, chiefly warriors of size and figure, and taken 
fifty-eight prisoners." 

When Brigadier-general Scott released sixteen weak and infirm 
prisoners at Ouiatenon, he gave them a written speech, of which 
the following is a copy : 

" To the various tribes of the Piankeshaws, and all the nations of Red People, lying 
on the waters of the Wabash river : 

"The sovereign council of the thirteen United States have long 
patiently borne your depredations against their settlements on this 
side of the great mountains in the hope that you would see your 
error, and correct it by entering with them into the bonds of amity 
and lasting peace. Moved by compassion, and pitying your mis- 
guided councils, they have frequently addressed you on this sub- 
ject, but without effect. At length their patience is exhausted, 
and they have stretched forth the arm of power against you. Their 
mighty sons and chief warriors have at length taken up the 
hatchet; they have penetrated far into your country, to meet your 
warriors and punish them for their transgressions; but you fled 
before them and declined the battle, leaving your wives and chil- 
dren to their mercy. They have destroyed your old town, Ouia- 
tenon, and the neighboring villages, and have taken many prison- 
ers. Resting here two days to give you time to collect your 
strength, they have proceeded to your town of Keth-tip-e-ca-nunk ; 



494 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

but you again fled before them, and that great town has been 
destroyed. After giving you this evidence of their power, they 
have stopped their hands, because they are merciful as strong; 
and they again indulge the hope that you will come to a sense of 
your true interest, and determine to make a lasting peace with 
them, and all their children, forever. 

"The United States have no desire to destroy the red people,, 
although they have the power; but should you decline this invi- 
tation, and pursue your unprovoked hostilities, their strength will 
again be exerted against you. Your warriors will be slaughtered ; 
your towns and villages ransacked and destroyed; your wives and 
children carried into captivity ; and you may be assured that those 
who escape the fury of our mighty chiefs shall find no resting- 
place on this side the great lakes. 

"The warriors of the United States wish not to distress or 
destroy women and children, or old men; and although policy- 
obliges them to retain some in captivity, yet compassion and 
humanity have induced them to set others at liberty, who will 
deliver you this talk. Those who are carried off will be left in 
the care of our great chief and warrior, General St. Clair, near the 
mouth of the Miami, and opposite the Licking river, where they 
will be treated with humanity and tenderness. If you wish tc* 
recover them, repair to that place by the first day of July next, 
determined, with true hearts, to bury the hatchet and smoke the 
pipe of peace. They will then be restored to you ; and you may 
again sit down in security at your old towns, and live in peace and 
happiness, unmolested by the children of the United States, who 
will become your friends and protectors, and will be ready to fur- 
nish you with all the necessaries you may require. But should 
you foolishly persist in your warfare, the sons of war will be let 
loose against you, and the hatchet will never be buried until your 
country is desolated, and your people humbled to the dust. 

" Given under my hand and seal, at the Ouiatenon town, this 
4th day of June, 1791. 

"Charles Scott, Brigadier-General." 

1791. On the first of August, 1791, General James Wilkinson, 
at the head of about five hundred and twenty-five men, well 
mounted, principally citizens of Kentucky, marched from the vicin- 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 495 

ity of Fort Washington (Cincinnati), for the purpose of destroying 
the Indian village which stood on the right bank of Eel river, 
about six miles from the point where that stream enters the river 
Wabash, at the present site of Logansport. In an official report ad- 
dressed to Governor St. Clair, General Wilkinson says: "The 
enemy were unable to make the smallest resistance. Six warriors 
and (in the hurry and confusion of the charge) two squaws and a 
child were killed, thirty-four prisoners were taken, and an unfor- 
tunate captive released, with the loss of two men killed and one 
wounded." Wilkinson destroyed the village "and cut down at 
least four hundred and thirty acres of corn." 

1791. Vermont admitted into the Union March 4th. 

1791. Early in the month of September, 1791, an army, under 
the command of Governor St. Clair, marched from Fort Washing- 
ton into the Indian country, for the purpose of punishing the hos- 
tile tribes and establishing a military post at the Miami village 
that stood at the present site of Fort Wayne, Indiana. 

On the 3d of November, the main army, consisting of about 
fourteen hundred effective men, moved forward to a point near 
which Fort Recovery was afterward erected. Here, on the head 
waters of the Wabash river, among a number of small creeks, the 
army encamped. The right wing of the army, commanded by 
Major-General Butler, and composed of the battalions under Majors 
Butler, Clarke and Patterson, lay in front of a creek about twelve 
yards wide, and formed the first line. . The left wing, composed of 
the battalions under Bedinger and Gaither, and the second regi- 
ment under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel William Darke, 
formed the second line. Between the two lines there was a space 
of about seventy yards, which was all that the ground would allow. 
The right flank was supposed to be protected by the creek, and the 
left was covered by a steep bank, a corps of cavalry, and some 
pickets. The militia marched over the creek, and encamped in 
two lines, about a quarter of a mile in advance of the main army. 
There was snow on the ground, and two rows of fires were made 
between Butler's and Darke's lines, and also two rows between the 
lines of the militia. While the militia were crossing the creek, a 






496 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

few Indians were seen hovering about the array, but they fled pre- 
cipitately as soon as they were discovered. 

At this time, the Little Turtle, Blue Jacket, Buck-ong-a-helas 
and other Indian chiefs of less distinction, were lying a few miles 
distant from St. Claims army, with about twelve hundred warriors, 
awaiting a favorable moment to begin an attack. Simon Girty and 
some other white men were with the Indians. 

In a letter dated, " Fort Washington, November 9, 1791," and 
addressed to the secretary of war, Governor St. Clair said: "At 
this place [the ground on which the army was encamped on the 
evening of the 3d of November], which I judged to be about fif- 
teen miles from the Miami village, I determined to throw up a 
slight work, the plan of which was concerted that evening with 
Major Ferguson, wherein to have deposited the men's knapsacks, 
and every thing else that was not of absolute necessity, and to have 
moved on to attack the enemy as soon as the first regiment was 
come up. But they did not permit me to execute either, for, on 
the 4th, about half an hour before sunrise, and when the men had 
been just dismissed from parade (for it was a constant practice to 
have them all under arms a considerable time before daylight), an 
attack was made upon the militia. Those gave way in a very lit- 
tle time and rushed into camp through Major Butler's battalion 
(which, together with a part of Clarke's, they threw into consider- 
able disorder, and which, notwithstanding the exertions of both 
those officers, was never altogether remedied), the Indians follow- 
ing close at their heels. The fire, however, of the front line 
checked them, but almost instantly a very heavy attack began upon 
that line, and in a few minutes it was extended to the second like- 
wise. The great weight of it was directed against the center of 
each, where the artillery was placed, and from which the men were 
repeatedly driven with great slaughter. 

(i Finding no great effect from our fire, and confusion begin- 
ning to spread from the great number of men who were falling in 
all quarters, it became necessary to try what could be done by 
the bayonet. Lieutenant-Colonel Darke was accordingly ordered 
to make a charge with part of the second line, and to turn the left 
flank of the enemy. This was executed with great spirit. The 
Indians instantly gave way, and were driven back three or four 



CHRONOLOGICAL RFXORDS. 497 

hundred yards; but for want of a sufficient number of riflemen to 
pursue this advantage, they soon returned, and the troops were 
obliged to give back in their turn. At this moment they had 
entered our camp by the left flank, having pushed back the troops 
that were posted there. Another charge was made here by the 
second regiment, Butler's and Clarke's battalions, with equal effect, 
and it was repeated several times and always with success; but in 
all of them many men w r ere lost, and particularly the officers, 
which, with so raw troops, was a loss altogether irremediable. In 
that I just spoke of, made by the second regiment and Butler's 
battalion, Major Butler was dangerously wounded, and every offi- 
cer of the second regiment fell except three, one of which, Mr. 
Greaton, was shot through the body. 

"Our artillery being now silenced, and all the officers killed 
except Captain Ford, who was very badly wounded, and more than 
half of the army fallen, being cut off from the road, it became ne- 
cessary to attempt the regaining of it, and to make a retreat, if pos- 
sible. To this purpose the remains of \he army was formed, as 
well as circumstances would admit, toward the right of the encamp- 
ment, from which, by way of the second line, another charge was 
made upon the enemy, as if with the design to turn their right 
flank, but in fact to gain the road. This was effected, and as soon 
as it was open the militia took along it, followed by the troops ; 
Major Clarke, with his battalion, covering the rear. 

"The retreat, in those circumstances, was, you may be sure, a 
very precipitate one. It was, in fact, a flight. The camp and the 
artillery were abandoned, but that was unavoidable; for not a 
horse was left alive to have drawn it off, had it otherwise been 
practicable. But, the most disgraceful part of the business is, that 
the greatest part of the men threw away their arms and accouter- 
ments, even after the pursuit, which continued about four miles, 
had ceased. I found the road strewed with them for many miles, 
but was not able to remedy it; for, having had all my horses 
killed, and being mounted upon one that could not be pricked out 
of a walk, I could not get forward myself; and the orders I sent 
forward either to halt the front, or to prevent the men from part- 
ing with their arms, were unattended to. The rout continued quite 
32 



498 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

to Fort Jefferson, twenty-nine miles, which was reached a little 
after sunset. 

" The action began about half an hour before sunrise, and the 
retreat was attempted at half an hour after nine o'clock. I have 
not yet been able to get returns of the killed and wounded; but 
Major-General Butler, Lieutenant-Colonel Oldham, of the militia, 
Major Ferguson, Major Hart and Major Clarke, are among the for- 
mer; Colonel Sargent, my adjutant-general, Lieutenant-Colonel 
Darke, Lieutenant-colonel Gibson, Major Butler, and the Viscount 
Malartie, who served me as an aid-de-camp, are among the latter; 
and a great number of captains and subalterns in both. 

" I have now, sir, finished my melancholy tale — a tale that will 
be felt sensibly by every one that has sympathy for private dis- 
tress or for public misfortune. I have nothing, sir, to lay to the 
charge of the troops but their want of discipline, which, from the 
short time they had been in service, it was impossible they 
should have acquired, and which rendered it very difficult, when 
they were thrown into confusion, to reduce them again to order, 
and is one reason why the loss has fallen so heavy on the officers, 
who did everything in their power to effect it. Neither were my 
own exertions wanting; but, worn down with illness, and suffering 
under a painful disease, unable either to mount or dismount a horse 
without assistance, they were not so great as they otherwise would,, 
and perhaps ought to have been. We were overpowered by num- 
bers; but it is no more than justice to observe that, though com- 
posed of so many different species of troops, the utmost harmony 
prevailed through the whole army during the campaign. At Fort 
Jefferson I found the first regiment, which had returned from the 
service they had been sent upon, without either overtaking the de- 
serters, or meeting the convoy of provisions. I am not certain, sir, 
whether I ought to consider the absence of this regiment from the 
field of action as fortunate, or otherwise. I incline to think it was 
fortunate; for, I very much doubt whether had it been in the action, 
the fortune of the day had been turned ; and, if it had not, the tri- 
umph of the enemy would have been more complete, and the 
country would have been destitute of every means of defense. 

" Taking a view of the situation of our broken troops at Fort 
Jefferson, and that there was no provision in the fort, I called upon 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 499 

the field-officers, viz : Lieutenant-Colonel Darke, Major Ham- 
tramck, Major Zeigler and Major Gaither, together with the adju- 
tant-general [Winthrop Sargent], for their advice what would be 
proper further to be done, and it was their unanimous opinion, that 
the addition of the first regiment, unbroken as it was, did not put 
the army on so respectable a foot as it was in the morning, because 
a great part of it was now unarmed; that it had been found une- 
qual to the enemy, and should they come on, which was possible, 
would be found so again; that the troops could not be thrown into 
the fort, both because it was too small and that there were no pro- 
visions in it; that provisions were known to be upon the road, at 
the distance of one or at most two marches ; that, therefore, it 
would be proper to move, without loss of time, to meet the provis- 
ions, when the men might have the sooner an opportunity of some 
refreshment, and that a proper detachment might be sent back with 
it to have it safely deposited in the fort. This advice was accepted 
and the army was put in motion at ten o'clock, and marched all 
night and the succeeding day met with a quantity of flour. Part 
of it was distributed immediately, part taken back to supply the 
army on the march to Fort Hamilton, and the remainder, about 
fifty horse loads, sent forward to Fort Jefferson. The next day, a 
drove of cattle was met with for the same place, and I have infor- 
mation that both got in. The wounded who had been left at that 
place were ordered to be brought to Fort Washington by the re- 
turn horses. 

" I have said, sir, in a former part of this letter, that we were 
overpowered by numbers. Of that, however, I have no other ev- 
idence but the weight of the fire, which was always a most deadly 
one, and generally delivered from the ground — few of the enemy 
showing themselves afoot, except when they were charged; and 
that, in a few minutes our whole camp, which extended above three 
hundred and fifty yards in length, was entirely surrounded and 
attacked on all quarters. The loss, sir, the public has sustained by 
the fall of so many officers, particularly General Butler and Major 
Ferguson, can not be too much regretted ; but it is a circumstance 
that will alleviate the misfortune in some measure, that all of them 
fell most gallantly doing their duty. I have had very particular 
obligations to many of them, as well as to the survivors, but to 



500 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

none more than to Colonel Sargent. He has discharged the vari- 
ous duties of his office with zeal, with exactness, and with intelli- 
gence; and, on all occasions, afforded me every assistance in his 
power, which I have also experienced from my aid-de-camp, Lieu- 
tenant Denny, and the Viscount Malartie, who served with me in 
the station as a volunteer." 

In the disastrous action of the 4th of November, 1791, St. 
Clair lost thirty-nine officers killed and five hundred and ninety- 
three men killed and missing. Twenty-two officers and two hun- 
dred and forty-two men were wounded. The officers killed were: 
Major-General Richard Butler, Lieutenant-Colonel Oldham, of 
the Kentucky militia; Majors Ferguson, Clarke and Hart; Cap- 
tains Bradford, Phelon, Kirkwood, Price, VanSwearingen, Tipton, 
Smith, Purdy, Piatt, Guthrie, Cribbs and Newman; Lieutenants 
Spear, Warren, Boyd, McMath, Read, Burgess, Kelso, Little, 
Hopper and Lickens; Ensigns Balch, Cobb, Chase, Turner, Wil- 
son, Brooks, Beatty and Purdy; Quartermasters Reynolds and 
Ward; Adjutant Anderson; and Doctor Grasson. The officers 
wounded were: Lieutenant-Colonels Gibson, Darke and Sargent 
(adjutant-general); Major Butler; Captains Doyle, Trueman, 
Ford, Buchanan, Darke and Hough ; Lieutenants Greaton, David- 
son, De Butts, Price, Morgan, McCrea, Lysle and Thompson; 
Ensign Bines; Adjutants Whisler and Crawford; and the Viscount 
Malartie, volunteer aid-de-camp to the commander-in-chief. Sev- 
eral pieces of artillery, and all the baggage, ammunition and pro- 
visions were left on the field of battle, and fell into the hands of 
the Indians. The stores and other public property, lost in the 
action, were valued at thirty-two thousand eight hundred and ten 
dollars and seventy-five cents.* The loss of the Miamis and their 
confederates has never been satisfactorily ascertained; but it did 
not, probably, exceed one hundred and fifty in killed and 
wounded. 

With the army of St. Clair, following the fortunes of their 
husbands, there were more than one hundred women. f Very few 
escaped the carnage of the 4th of November, and after the flight 

*Keport of Secretary of War, December H, 1792. 

tAtwater, in his History of Ohio, says " there were about two hundred and 
fifty women." 



CPIRONOLOGLCAL RECORDS. 501 

of the remnant of the army, the Indians began to avenge their own 
real and imaginary wrongs by perpetrating the most horrible acts 
of cruelty and brutality upon the bodies of the living and dead 
Americans who fell into their hands. Believing that the whites, 
for many years, made war merely to acquire land, the Indians 
crammed clay and sand into the eyes and down the throats of the 
dying and the dead. The field of action was visited by Brigadier- 
General James Wilkinson, at the head of a small detachment of 
mounted militia, on the 1st of February, 1792, about three months 
after the battle. In a letter, dated " Fort Washington, 13th Feb- 
ruary, 1792," written by Captain Robert Buntin, and addressed to 
Governor St. Clair, this expedition is noticed as follows: 

"I went with General Wilkinson to the field of action to 
recover the artillery carriages, which he was informed remained 
there, and to bury the dead. His little army for this excursion 
was composed of about one hundred and fifty regulars, and one 
hundred and thirty one volunteer militia on horseback. He has a 
good talent for pleasing the people; there is no person in whom 
they have more confidence ; none more capable to lead them on. 
It appears as if he made the Indian mode of warfare his study 
since he first came to this country. I think him highly worthy 
your friendship, from his attachment to your person and interest. 

"The regulars left Fort Washington as an escort to provisions 
for Fort Jefferson, on the 24th ultimo- — the snow about ten inches 
deep — and we marched next morning with the volunteers. The 
sledges which transported the forage delayed us so much that we 
did not get to Fort Jefferson until the 30th, about twelve o'clock. 
The general was much longer in getting to this place than he 
expected; and in order to expedite the business and avoid expense 
he ordered the regulars to return to Fort Washington. This morn- 
ing [30th], the wind from the southward, with a constant fall of 
snow, rain and hail, and a frost the following night, made the break- 
ing of the road very difficult; though the front was changed 
every fifteen or twenty minutes, the road was marked with the 
horses' blood from the hardness of the crust on the snow. We left 
Fort Jefferson about nine o'clock on the 31st, with the volunteers, 
and arrived within eight miles of the field of battle that evening, 
and next day we arrived at the ground about ten o'clock. The 



502 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

scene was truly melancholy. In my opinion those unfortunate 
men who fell into the enemy's hands, with life, were used with 
the greatest torture — having their limbs torn off'; and the women 
have been treated with the most indecent cruelty, having stakes 
as thick as a person's arm driven through their bodies." 

1791. The name of the author of the following verses is un- 
known, but tradition says that they were often sung by surviving 
soldiers of St. Clair's army: 

ST. CLAIR'S DEFEAT. 

BY A SOLDIER OF CAPTAIN BRADFORD'S COMPANY. 

'Twas November the fourth, in the year of ninety-one, 
We had a sore engagement near to Fort Jefferson. 
St. Clair was our commander, which may remembered be, 
For there we left nine hundred men in t' western ter'tory. 

At Bunker's Hill and Quebec, where many a hero fell, 
Likewise at Long Island (it is I the truth can tell), 
But such a dreadful carnage may I never see again, 
As hap'ned near St. Mary's, upon the river plain. 

Our army was attacked just as the day did dawn, 
And soon were overpowered and driven from the lawn ; 
They killed Major Oldham, Levin, and Briggs likewise — 
And horrid yells of sav'ges resounded thro' the skies. 

Major Butler was wounded the very second fire. 
His manly bosom swelled with rage when forced to retire ; 
And as he lay in anguish, nor scarcely could he see, 
Exclaimed, "Ye hounds of Hell! O revenged I will be! " 

We had not been long broken when General Butler found 
Himself so badly wounded, was forced to quit the ground. 
"My God," says he, "what shall we do; we're wounded every man ; 
So charge them, valiant heroes, and beat them if you can." 

He leaned his back against a tree and there resigned his breath, 
And like a valiant soldier sunk in the arms of death; 
When blessed angels did await his spirit to convey; 
And unto the celestial fields he quickly went his way. 

We charged again with courage fierce, but soon again gave ground 
The war-whoop then redoubled as did the foes around; 
They killed Major Ferguson which caused his men to cry, 
"Our only safety is in flight, or fighting here, to die." 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 503 

"Stand to your guns," says valiant Ford ; " let 's die upon them here, 
Before we let these sav'ges know we ever harbored fear." 
Our cannon ball exhausted, and artill'ry men all slain; 
Obliged were our musketmen the enemy to sustain. 

Yet three hours more we fought them, and then were forced to yield, 
When three hundred bloody warriors lay stretched upon the field. 
Says Colonel Gibson to his men, "My boys, be not dismayed ; 
I 'm sure that true Virginians were never yet afraid. 

"Ten thousand deaths I 'd rather die than they should gain the field." 
With that he got a fatal shot which caused him to yield. 
Says Major Clarke, " My heroes, I can here no longer stand — 
We '11 strive to form in order and retreat the best we can." 

The word Retreat being passed around, there was a dismal cry, 
Then helter-skelter thro' the woods, like wolves and sheep they fly — 
This well-appointed army, who but a day before, 
Defied and braved all danger, had like a cloud passed o'er. 

Alas! the dying and wounded, how dreadful was the thought, 
To the tomahawk and scalping-knife in misery are brought. 
Some had a thigh, and some an arm, broke on the field that day, 
Who writhed in torment at the stake, to close the dread affray. 

To mention our brave officers is what I wish to do; 

No sons of Mars e'er fought more brave, or with more courage true. 

To Captain Bradford I belonged, in his artillery — 

He fell that day among the slain — a valiant man was he. 

1791. In September, 1791, Fort Hamilton was built on the 
bank of the Great Miami river, at the site of the present town of 
Hamilton. 

1791. Bank of the United States incorporated, February 25. 

1791. In October, 1791, Fort Jefferson was built on a site 
which lies about six miles south of the present town of Greenville, 
in Darke county, Ohio, in latitude forty degrees, four minutes, 
twenty-two seconds north. 

1791. A law passed in the territory of the United States 
northwest of the Ohio river, declares that " whenever persons 
enrolled in the militia of this territory shall assemble at any place 
for public worship, every such person shall arm and equip himself 
according to law, in the same manner as if he were marching to 
-engage the enemy." 



504 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

1791. In March, 1791, General Nathaniel Massie laid out the 
town of Manchester, on the right bank of the river Ohio, about 
twelve miles above the present town of Maysville, Kentucky. 

1792. April 7, General St. Clair resigned his military office,, 
and General Anthony Wayne, a native of Chester county, Pennsyl- 
vania, was appointed to succeed him. In the early part of June r 
Wayne arrived at Pittsburg, which was the place appointed for the 
rendezvous of new recruits for the army. 

1792. From the early part of the year 1792 to the 16th of 
August, 1793, while Wayne was recruiting and organizing his 
army, the government of the United States continued to make 
efforts to conclude treaties of peace and friendship with the hostile 
Indian tribes. 

1792. The Indian tribes which furnished warriors to oppose 
the United States were, in 1792, the Wyandots, the Pottawatta- 
mies, Miamis, Delawares, Shawanees, Chippewas, Ottawas and a 
part of the Senecas. 

1792. June 1, Kentucky, as a state, was admitted into the 
Union. 

1792 (?). Gallipolis settled by French colonists. 

1792. At Vincennes, in March, 1792, Major HamtramcK con- 
cluded treaties of peace with some small parties of Indians of the 
Wea and Eel river tribes. 

1792. On the 27th of September, 1792, General Eufus Put- 
nam, accompanied by John Heckewelder, concluded a treaty of 
peace and friendship, at Vincennes, with thirtv-one Indians of the 
Wabash and Illinois tribes. 

1792. Captain Robert Gray, a citizen of the United States, in 
command of a trading vessel, from Boston, visited the mouth of 
the Columbia river. 

1792. The following letter, written by the proprietor of the 
Pittsburg Gazette, mentions some of the difficulties which attended 
the publication of his newspaper in 1792: 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 505 

" Pittsburg, Monday Morning, July 1, 1792. 
"Major Isaac Craig — Dear Sir: John Wright's pack- 
horses, by whom I receive my paper from Chambersburg, has 
returned without bringing me any, owing to none being finished. 
As I am entirely out, and do not know what to do, I take the lib- 
erty of applying to you for some you have in the public stores 
(and of which I have had some), as a loan, or an exchange, for the 
kind herein inclosed; and as this kind is smaller, I will make an 
adequate allowance, or, if you could wait two or three weeks, I 
will return you paper of a superior quality for any purpose, as I 
have sent to Philadelphia, by Mr. Brackenridge, for a large quan- 
tity, and John Wright's pack-horses return immediately to Cham- 
bersburg, and will bring me up some. As I conceive you will not 
want the paper as soon as I can replace it, I flatter myself you will 
let me have three reams, and as soon as I receive mine it shall be 
returned; or if you choose to take the inclosed in exchange, it 
shall be immediately sent you. If you can oblige me with the 
paper, it will do any time this day, and I shall consider myself 
under a very particular obligation. 

"I am, dear sir, your most obedient servant, 

[Craig's Pittsburg, p. 214.] " John Scull. 

1792. During the months of July, August and September, 
1792, a great number of Indians, of the Miami, Pottawattamie, 
Delaware, Shawanee, Chippewa, Ottawa and Wyandot tribes, 
assembled at the rapids of the Maumee river for the purpose of 
holding a grand council. The Indians at this council determined 
that they would make no treaty that would confirm or acknowledge 
the claims of the United States to any portion of the territory north- 
west of the river Ohio. 

1792. On the morning of the 6th of November, 1792, at day- 
break, about one hundred Kentucky militia, under the command 
of Major John Adair, were attacked in their camp by a strong 
body of Indians, and forced, after a short engagement, to retire 
into Fort St. Clair, which was within gunshot of the scene of 
action. Fort St. Clair stood at a point about one mile distant 
from the site of Eaton, in Preble county, Ohio. Adair lost six 
men killed and five wounded, together with the camp equipage 



506 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

and one hundred and forty pack-horses. The loss of the Indians 
was not ascertained. 

1792. On the 13th of September, 1792, Captain John Arm- 
strong, the commanding officer at Fort Hamilton, on the Great 
Miami river, wrote to General James Wilkinson a letter, from which 
the following passage is copied: "I must, my dear general, injus- 
tice to my own feelings and to the men I command, repeat my 
complaint on the subject of clothing. It is known to you, sir, that 
my command has been a continued scene of fatigue ; and it is a 
reflection upon the nation that the men should serve six months 
without clothing. They are now performing the duties of soldiers 
without shirts or shoes, and seven months' pay due them. What 
can the public expect from men thus treated? — called upon, naked as 
they are, to perform the hardest service — destitute of money to 
purchase for themselves even a chew of tobacco." 

1792. The following extract of a letter (dated, " Fort Wash- 
ington, April 10, 1792"), from Brigadier-General Wilkinson to 
Captain John Armstrong, then the commanding officer at Fort 
Hamilton, will throw some light upon the nature of the perilous 
service of those who were employed as spies : 

" My messengers, Freeman at the head, left this on the 7th, with 
a ( big talk/ and are ordered to keep Harmar's trace, which will be 
an evidence to the enemy that they have no sinister designs in con- 
templation. If they are received, and are suffered to return, they 
have my directions to come by Fort Jefferson. You must order 
William May to desert in a day or two, or must cover his depart- 
ure by putting him in the way to be taken prisoner— as you may 
deem best. I consider the first preferable in one point of view; 
that is, it would guard him effectually against any real desertion 
which may hereafter take place. It will be exceedingly difficult, 
if not impracticable for him ever to make a second trip with suc- 
cess. However, that will depend, in a great measure, upon the fer- 
tility of his own genius. 

" He should cross the Miami at or near your post, and keep a 
due north course, remarking critically the distance, ground, and 
water-courses over which he may pass, until he strikes the St. 
Mary's, the site of the old Miami village, and the first town. His 



CHK0N0L0G1CAL RECORDS. 507 

first business will be to find out what has become of my messengers. 
If they have been received and well treated, he may authenticate 
the sincerity and good faith which has prescribed their journey. 
For this purpose, he must be made acquainted with the departure 
of the messengers and the order restraining offensive hostilities. 
But if they have been killed or made prisoners, and the enemy pos- 
itively refuse to treat, then, so soon as he clearly ascertains these 
facts, he must return to us by the nearest and safest route. If this 
occasion should not present, he is to continue with the enemy, and 
is, at all events, to acquire their confidence. To this end, he must 
shave his head, assume their dress, adopt their habits and manners, 
and always be ready for the hunt or for war. 

"His greatest object, during his residence with the enemy, will 
be to find out the names of the nations which compose the confed- 
eracy now at war; their numbers and the situation of their respect- 
ive towns as to course and distance from the old Miami village and 
the locality of each. 

"He will discover the names, residence, interest and influence 
of all the white men now connected with those savages, and 
whether the British stimulate, aid or abet them, and in what man- 
ner ; whether openly, by the servants of government, or indirectly, 
by traders. He will labor to develop what are the general deter- 
minations of the savages, in case the war is continued and we gain 
possession of their country. Having made himself master of these 
points, or as far as may be practicable, he will embrace the first 
important occasion to come in to us. Such will be' the moment 
when the enemy collectively take the field and advance against 
our army or a detachment of it, and have approached it w r ithin a day's 
march. 

" Should he execute this mission with integrity and effect I 
pledge myself to restore him to his country, and will use my en- 
deavors to get him some little establishment to make his old age 
comfortable." 

May deserted according to orders, and continued to reside 
among the Indians until the latter part of September, 1792, when 
he left them, and arrived at Pittsburg and made a report to Major- 
General Wayne. On the 18th of August, 1794, May was captured 



508 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

by the Indians near the rapids of the Mauraee ; on the next day he 
was tied to a tree and shot. 

1792. On the 28th of November, 1792, the army under the 
command of General Wayne left Pittsburg, and moved down the 
river Ohio about twenty-two miles, to a place (about seven miles 
above the mouth of Big; Beaver), which was named Legionville, 
where the army remained until the 30th of April, 1793, when it 
moved, in boats, down the river to Cincinnati, and encamped in 
the vicinity of Fort Washington, at a place which was called 
"Hobson's Choice. " At this place the main army was kept until 
the 7th of October, 1793. In a letter dated " Hobson's Choice, 
9th May, 1793," and addressed to the secretary of war, General 
Wayne says : "We are now encamped a mile below Fort Washing- 
ton, on the margin of the river, with a wide swamp in our front 
and the Ohio river in our rear. There is no good ground for 
maneuvers or encampment in the neighborhood of Fort Washing- 
ton ; add to this that the village of Cincinnati is directly upon our 
right flank, filled with ardent poison, and caitiff wretches to dis- 
pose of it." 

1793. On the 2d of March, 1793, Benjamin Lincoln, of Mas- 
sachusetts, Beverley Randolph, of Virginia, and Timothy Picker- 
ing, of Pennsylvania, were appointed, by the President of the 
United States, commissioners for the purpose of negotiating treaties 
of peace with the northwestern Indian tribes. The commission- 
ers were furnished with secret instructions, from which the follow- 
ing extracts are copied : 

"Gentlemen: You must be well aware of the extreme dis- 
like of the great majority of the citizens of the United States to 
an Indian war, in almost any event; and with how much satisfac- 
tion they would embrace a peace upon terms of justice and human- 
ity. To you, therefore, this negotiation is entrusted, with the hope 
that you will, by your intelligence and perseverance, be able to 
close a scene of hostilities, which, on the part of the United States, 
have been dictated by the protection due their frontier citizens. 
* * * With respect to the treaties made between the United 
States and the several hostile tribes, since the peace with Great 
Britain in 1783, it is to be observed that the treaty of Fort Har- 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 509 

mar, made in January, 1789, is regarded as having been formed on 
solid grounds — the principle being that of a fair purchase and sale. 

# # * Parties, however, who were not at the treaty of Fort 
Harmar, may have been either at the treaty of Fort Mcintosh or 
the Miami. Buck-ong-a-he-las, a chief of the Delawares, was at 
the latter. But if it shall appear, upon a further investigation of 
the subject, at the place of conference, that there were other tribes 
interested in the lands then ceded to the United States than those 
who subscribed the said treaty, or that the consideration given was 
inadequate, it may be proper, in either or both cases, that a liberal 
compensation be made to the just claimants. * * * You will 
endeavor, to the utmost of your power, to induce the tribes claim- 
ing a right to the said lands, to confirm the boundary established 
by the said treaty of Fort Harmar, with the Six Nations, and 
Wyandots, Delawares, etc. * * * You are to understand, 
explicitly, that the United States can not relinquish any of the 
tracts of lands which they have already granted, as marked upon 
the said map. 

"In respect to all that has been said with regard to relinquish- 
ment, you will please to understand that no particular difficulty is 
intended to be thrown in the way of the relinquishment of any 
lands west of the Great Miami, and northward of the Ohio, from 
the intersection thereof by the Great Miami, except the tract of 
one hundred and fifty thousand acres granted to General Clark. 

* * * In case of a successful treaty the delivery of all prison- 
ers taken from the United States must be strenuously insisted 
upon. But it will be left to your judgment whether a particular 
compensation shall be stipulated or not to the individual owners of 
such prisoners ; as it is well known that they are not considered 
as the common property of the Indian communities. * * * The 
Reverend John Heckewelder, a Moravian teacher, who resided 
many years among the Moravian Indians, of the Delawares, will 
accompany you, in order, also, to use his influence toward a peace. 
He well understands the Delaware tongue; and, although he is 
unwilling to act as a common interpreter, yet you may rely upon 
his ability to correct others, and prevent imposition." 

The efforts of the commissioners to make a treaty of peace with 
the hostile Indians was brought to a close by a letter which was 



510 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

addressed to the commissioners on the 13th of August, 1793, and 
which concluded as follows: 

" Brothers : We shall be persuaded that you mean to do us 
justice if you will agree that the Ohio shall remain the boundary 
line between us. If you will not consent thereto our meeting will 
be altogether unnecessary. This is the great point which we hoped 
would have been explained before you left your homes, as our mes- 
sage last fall was principally directed to obtain that information. 

"Done in general council at the foot of the Maumee rapids, the 
13th day of August, 1793. 

" Nations — Wyandots, Seven Nations of Canada, Pottawata- 
mies, Senecas of the Glaize, Shawanees, Cherokees, Miamis, Otta- 
was, Messagoes, Chippewas, Munsees, Mohicans, Connoys, De la- 
wares, Nantakokies, Creeks. " 

The commissioners of the United States immediately sent the 
following brief answer to the confederate Indians at the rapids of 
the Maumee : 

" To the Chiefs and Warriors of the Indian Nations assembled at the foot of the 
Maumee Rapids : 

" Brothers : We have just received your answer, dated the 13th 
instant, to our speech of the 31st of last month, which we delivered 
to your deputies at this place. You say it was interpreted to all 
your nations, and we presume it was fully understood. We 
therein explicitely declared to you, that it was now impossible to 
make the Ohio the boundary between your lands and the lands of 
the United States. Your answer amounts to a declaration that 
you will agree to no other boundary than the Ohio. The negoti- 
ation is, therefore, at an end. W^e sincerely regret that peace is 
not the result, but, knowing the upright and liberal views of the 
United States, which, as far as you gave us an opportunity, we have 
explained to you, we trust that impartial judges will not attribute 
the continuance of the war to them. 

"Done at Captain Elliott's, at the mouth of Detroit river, the 
16th day of August, 1793. "Benjamin Lincoln, 

" Beverley Randolph, 
" Timothy Pickering, 
"Commissioners of the United States." 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 511 

1793. On the 7th of October, 1793, the army under the com- 
mand of General Wayne marched from " Hobson's Choice," and, 
at ten o'clock on the morning of the 13th of October, encamped 
on a branch of the Great Miami river, "six miles advanced of Fort 
Jefferson." In the vicinity of this encampment Wayne erected 
Fort Greenville, where he established his headquarters for the win- 
ter of 1793-'4. 

1793. The first newspaper printed northwest of the river Ohio 
was issued at Cincinnati, by William Maxwell, on the 9th of 
November, 1793. It was called the " Centinel of the Northwest- 
ern Territory;" was about twelve inches by nineteen in size; and its 
motto was, " Open to all parties — influenced by none." 

1793. The corner-stone of the capitol of the United States of 
America was laid, by George Washington, with Masonic ceremo- 
nies, on the 18th of September, 1793. The orator of the occasion, 
in referring to the new seat of government, said that it was " seated 
in the very centricity of our republic, on the banks of one of the 
noblest rivers in the universe, sufficiently capacious to erect thereon 
a city equal, if not superior in magnitude, to any in the world."— 
[Alexandria (Va.) Gazette, of September 25, 1793; Dr. Toner's 
Medical Register, 1867, p. 72.] 

1793. On the 23d of December General Wayne issued orders 
for the erection of a fort at the place where Governor St. Clair was 
defeated in 1791. The new fort was built, and called Fort 
Recovery. 

1793. About the first of April, 1793, the Indians attacked 
Morgan's Station, on Slate creek, about seven miles east of Mt. 
Sterling, Kentucky. Nineteen prisoners were taken by the 
Indians. This was the last incursion of Indians into the interior 
of Kentucky. [Collins' Kentucky, 470.] 

1793. In the latter part of the year 1793, the friends of the 
republic of France continued their efforts in Kentucky to raise an 
army for the invasion of Louisiana. They enlisted men, purchased 
boats, provisions, arms and ammunition, and fixed the place of ren- 
dezvous at the falls of the Ohio; from which point they expected 
to move, with about two thousand men, on the 15th of April, 1794. 



512 CHEONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

By letters of the 9th of November, 1793, President Washing- 
ton requested Isaac Shelby, governor of Kentucky, and Arthur 
St. Clair, governor of the territory of the United States northwest 
of the river Ohio, to "take all the measures in the course of the 
law," and, "if necessary, to use effectual military force" for the 
prevention of any hostile enterprise against the possessions of Spain 
on the Mississippi. Governor St. Clair immediately published a 
proclamation in his territory informing the citizens of the contem- 
plated invasion, and warning them of the dangerous consequences 
of participating in it. The governor of Kentucky, on the 13th of 
January, 1794, wrote to Mr. Jefferson, secretary of state of the 
United States, a letter which contained the following passage: "I 
have great doubts, even if they [the agents and officers of Genet] 
do attempt to carry their plan into execution (provided they man- 
age their business with prudence), whether there is any legal 
authority to restrain or punish them, at least before they have 
actually accomplished it; for, if it is lawful for any one citizen of 
this state to leave it, it is equally so for any number of them do to 
it. It is also lawful for them to carry with them any quantity of 
provisions, arms and ammunition; and, if the act is lawful in 
itself, there is nothing but the particular intention with which it is 
done that can possibly make it unlawful ; but I know of no law 
which inflicts a punishment on intention only, or a criterion by 
which to decide what would be sufficient evidence of that inten- 
tion, if it was a proper subject of legal censure. *#._*■ But, 
whatever may be my private opinion as a man, as a friend to lib- 
erty, an American citizen, and an inhabitant of the western waters, 
I shall, at all times, hold it as my duty to perform whatever may 
be constitutionally required of me, as governor of Kentucky, by 
the president of the United States." [American State Papers, 
Foreign Relations, i. 456.] 

1794. On the 24th of March, 1794, President Washington 
published the following proclamation : 

" Whereas, I have received information that certain persons, in 
violation of the laws, have presumed, under color of foreign author- 
ity, to enlist citizens of the United States and others within the 
state of Kentucky, and have there assembled an armed force for 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 513 

the purpose of invading and plundering the territories of a nation 
at peace with the United States; and, whereas, such unwarrant- 
able measures being contrary to the laws of nations and to the 
duties incumbent on every citizen of the United States, tend to 
disturb the tranquillity of the same, and to involve them in the ca- 
lamities of war; and, whereas, it is the duty of the executive to 
take care that such criminal proceedings should be suppressed, the 
offenders brought to justice and all good citizens cautioned against 
measures likely to prove so pernicious to their country and them- 
selves, should they be seduced into similar infractions of the laws; 
I have, therefore, thought proper to issue this proclamation, hereby 
solemnly warning every person not authorized by the laws, against 
enlisting any citizen or citizens of the United States, or levying 
troops, or assembling any persons within tne United States for the 
purposes aforesaid, or proceeding in any manner to the execution 
thereof, as they will answer the same at their peril ; and I do 
also admonish and require all citizens to refrain from enlisting, en- 
rolling or assembling themselves for such unlawful purposes, and 
from being in any way concerned, aiding or abetting therein, as 
they tender their own welfare, inasmuch as all lawful means will be 
strictly put in execution for securing obedience to the laws, and for 
punishing such daring and dangerous violations ; and I do, more- 
over, charge and require all courts, magistrates and other officers 
whom it may concern, according to their respective duties, to exert 
the powers in them severally vested, to prevent and suppress all 
such unlawful assemblages and proceedings, and to bring to condign 
punishment those who may have been guilty thereof, as they regard 
the due authority of government and the peace and welfare of the 
United States. 

" In testimony whereof I have caused the seal of the United 
States of America to be affixed to these presents, and signed the 
same with my hand. 

"Done at Philadelphia, the 24th day of March, 1794, and of 
the independence of the United States of America the eighteenth. 

" George Washington." 

1794. On the 31st of March, President Washington dispatched 
33 



514 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

orders to General Wayne requiring that officer to garrison Fort 
Massac, which stood on the right bank of the Ohio river, about eight 
miles below the mouth of the Tennessee river, and to prevent the 
passage, by water, of any hostile expedition from Kentucky against 
the Spanish possessions on the lower Mississippi. The friends of 
the proposed expedition submitted, somewhat reluctantly, to the au- 
thority of the national government. 

1794. On the morning of the 30th of June, 1794, an escort 
commanded by Major McMahon, consisting of ninety riflemen and 
fifty dragoons, was attacked by a numerous body of Indians,, 
" under the walls of Fort Recovery." Several attacks were made 
on the fort within the space of about twenty-four hours, after 
which the Indians retired. In the course of these attacks the 
Americans lost twenty-two men killed, thirty wounded and three 
missing. They also lost two hundred and twenty-one horses, 
killed, wounded and missing. 

1794. General Charles Scott, with about sixteen hundred 
mounted volunteers from Kentucky, arrived at Fort Greenville, 
on the 26th of July, 1794, and joined the regular troops under the 
command of General Wayne. On the 28th of July the united 
forces commenced their march for the Indian towns on the Maumee 
river. 

1794. On the 4th of August Wayne's army moved from Fort 
Adams (which was built on the St. Mary's river, about twenty-four 
miles northward of Fort Recovery), and, on the 8th of August, 
the army arrived at the confluence of the Maumee and Au Glaize 
rivers, where Wayne built a fortification which he called Fort 
Defiance. 

1794. General Wayne moved with his forces from Fcrt De- 
fiance on the 15th of August, 1794, and directed his march toward 
the British fort at the foot of the rapids of the river Maumee. On 
the 20th of August he gained a decisive victory over the army of 
the Indians. The battle was fought on the left bank of the Mau- 
mee, almost within the reach of the guns of the British fort. The 
following account of this engagement was transmitted, by General 
Wayne, to the secretary of war : 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 515 

" Headquarters [Fort Defiance], 

" Grand Glaize, 28th August, 1794. 

"Sir: It is with infinite pleasure that I now announce to you 
the brilliant success of the Federal army under my command in a 
general action with the combined force of the hostile Indians, and 
a considerable number of the volunteers and militia of Detroit, on 
the 20th instant, on the banks of the Maumee, in the vicinity of 
the British post and garrison at the foot of the rapids. The army 
advanced from this place [Fort Defiance] on the 15th, and arrived 
at Roche de Bout on the 18th; the 19th was employed in making a 
temporary post* for the reception of our stores and baggage, and in 
reconnoitering the position of the enemy, who were encamped be- 
hind a thick, brushy wood, and the British fort. 

"At eight o'clock on the morning of the 20th the army again 
advanced in columns, agreeably to the standing order of march, the 
legion on the right, its flank covered by the Maumee, one brigade 
of mounted volunteers on the left, under Brigadier-General Todd, 
and the other in the rear, under Brigadier-General Barbee. A 
select battalion of mounted volunteers moved in front of the legion, 
commanded by Major Price, who was directed to keep sufficiently 
advanced, so as to give timely notice for the troops to form in case 
of action, it being yet undetermined whether the Indians would de- 
cide for peace or war. 

"After advancing about five miles, Major Price's corps re- 
ceived so severe a fire from the enemy, who were secreted in the 
woods and high grass, as to compel them to retreat. The legion 
was immediately formed in two lines, principally in a close, thick 
wood, which extended for miles on our left and for a very consider- 
able distance in front, the ground being covered with old fallen 
timber, probably occasioned by a tornado, which rendered it im- 
practicable for the cavalry to act with effect, and afforded the en- 
emy the most favorable covert for their mode of warfare. The 
savages were formed in three lines, within supporting distance of 
each other, and extending for near two miles at right angles with 
the river. I soon discovered, from the weight of the fire and ex- 

*This post, which was called " Fort Deposit," was about seven miles from the 
British fort at the foot of the rapids. 



516 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

tent of their lines, that the enemy were in full force in front, in 
possession of their favorite ground, and endeavoring to turn our 
left flank. I, therefore, gave orders for the second line to advance 
and support the first, and directed Major-General Scott to gain and 
turn the right flank of the savages, with the whole of the mounted 
volunteers, by a circuitous route; at the same time I ordered the 
front line to advance and charge with trailed arms and rouse the 
Indians from their coverts at the point of the bayonet, and when 
up, to deliver a close and well directed fire on their backs, followed 
by a brisk charge, so as not to give them time to load again. 

" I also ordered Captain Mis Campbell, who commanded the 
legionary cavalry, to turn the left flank of the enemy next the 
river, and which afforded a favorable field for that corps to act in. 
All these orders were obeyed with spirit and promptitude; but 
such was the impetuosity of the charge by the first line of infantry, 
that the Indians and Canadian militia and volunteers were drove 
from all their coverts in so short a time that, although every pos- 
sible exertion was used by the officers of the second line of the 
legion, and by Generals Scott, Todd, and Barbee, of the mounted 
volunteers, to gain their proper positions, but part of each could 
get up in season to participate in the action; the enemy being 
drove, in the course of one hour, more than two miles through the 
thick woods already mentioned by less than one-half their num- 
bers. From every account, the enemy amounted to two thousand 
combatants. The troops actually engaged against them were short 
of nine hundred.* This horde of savages, with their allies, aban- 
doned themselves to flight, and dispersed with terror and dismay, 
leaving our victorious army in full and quiet possession of the field 
of battle, which terminated under the influence of the guns of the 
British garrison, as you will observe by the inclosed correspond- 
ence between Major Campbell, the commandant, and myself, upon 
the occasion. 

*The exact number of Indians engaged in this action against Wayne's army 
has never been ascertained. There were, however, about 450 Delawares, 175 
Miamis, 275 Shawanees, 225 Ottawas, 275 Wyandots, and a small number of Sene- 
cas, Pottawattamies, and Chippewas. The number of white men who fought in de- 
fense of the Indians in this engagement was aboul seventy, including a corps of 
volunteers from Detroit, under the command of Captain Caldwell. 



CHKONOLOGICAL RECORDS 517 

"The bravery and conduct of every officer belonging to the 
army, from the generals down to the ensigns, merit my highest ap- 
probation. There were, however, some, whose rank and situation 
placed their conduct in a very conspicuous point of view, and 
which I observed with pleasure and the most lively gratitude; 
among whom I must beg leave to mention Brigadier-General 
Wilkinson and Colonel Hamtramck, the commandants of the right 
and left wings of the legion, whose brave example inspired the 
troops. To those I must add the names of my faithful and gallant 
aids-de-camp, Captains De Butt and T. Lewis; and Lieutenant 
Harrison, who, with the adjutant-general, Major Mills, rendered 
the most essential service by communicating my orders in every 
direction, and by their conduct and bravery exciting the troops to 
press for victory. Lieutenant Covington, upon whom the com- 
mand of the cavalry now devolved, cut down two savages with his 
own hand, and Lieutenant Webb one, in turning the enemy's left 
flank. The wounds received by Captains Slough and Prior, and 
Lieutenant Campbell Smith, an extra aid-de-camp to General Wil- 
kinson, of the legionary infantry, and Captain Van Rensselaer, of 
the dragoons, Captain Rawlins, Lieutenant McKenny, and Ensign 
Duncan, of the mounted volunteers, bear honorable testimony of 
their bravery and conduct. 

" Captain H. Lewis and Brock, with their companies of light 
infantry, had to sustain an unequal fire for some time, which they 
supported with fortitude. In fact, every officer and soldier who 
had an opportunity to come into action displayed that true bravery 
which will always ensure success. And here permit me to declare, 
that I never discovered more true spirit and anxiety for action than 
appeared to pervade the whole of the mounted volunteers; and I am 
well persuaded that, had the enemy maintained their favorite 
ground for one-half hour longer, they would have most severely 
felt the prowess of that corps. But, while I pay this tribute to the 
living, I must not neglect the gallant dead, among whom we have 
to lament the early death of those worthy and brave officers, Cap- 
tain Mis Campbell, of the dragoons, and Lieutenant Towles, of 
the light infantry, of the legion, who fell in the first charge. 



518 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS 

" Enclosed is a particular return of the killed and wounded.* 
The loss of the enemy was more than double to that of the 
Federal army. The woods were strewed for a considerable dis- 
tance with the dead bodies of Indians! and their white auxiliaries 
— the latter armed with British muskets and bayonets. 

" We remained three days and nights on the banks of the Mau- 
mee, in front of the field of battle, during which time all the 
houses and corn fields were consumed and destroyed for a consider- 
able distance both above and below Fort Miami, as well as within 
pistol shot of the garrison, who were compelled to remain tacit 
spectators to this general devastation and conflagration, among 
which were the houses, stores and property of Colonel McKee, 
the British Indian agent, and principal stimulator of the war now 
existing between the United States and the savages. 

" The army returned to this place [Fort Defiance] on the 27th, 
by easy marches, laying waste the villages and corn fields for about 
fifty miles on each side of the Maumee. There remains yet a great 
number of villages, and a great quantity of corn, to be consumed 
or destroyed, upon Auglaize and the Maumee above this place, 
which will be effected in the course of a few days. In the interim 
we shall improve Fort Defiance; and, as soon as the escort returns 
with the necessary supplies from Greenville and Fort Recovery, 
the army will proceed to the Miami villages, in order to accomplish 
the object of the campaign. It is, however, not improbable that 
the enemy may make one desperate effort against the army; as it is 
said that a reinforcement was hourly expected at Fort MiamiJ 
from Niagara, as well as numerous tribes of Indians living on the 
margin and islands of the lakes. This is a business rather to be 

*According to this return, the regular troops lost twenty-six killed and eighty- 
seven wounded. The loss of the Kentucky volunteers was seven killed and thirteen 
wounded. Nine regulars and two volunteers died of their wounds before the 28th 
of August, 1794. 

fA " Daily Journal of Wayne's Campaign," says, " the enemy giving way in 
all quarters, * * * left us in possession of their dead, to the number of forty." 
[American Pioneer, i. 318.] 

JAt the time of the action of the 20th of August the garrison of this fort con< 
sisted of about 250 regulars and 200 militia. There were " four nine-pounders, 
two large howitzers, and six six-pounders mounted in the fort, and two swivels/ 
[American State Papers.] 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 519 

wished for than dreaded while the army remains in force. Their 
numbers will only tend to confuse the savages, and the victory 
will be the more complete and decisive, and which may eventually 
insure a permanent and happy peace. 

" Under these impressions, I have the honor to be your most 
obedient and very humble servant, Anthony Wayne. 

"The Hon. Major-General H. Knox, Secretary of War." 

Immediately after the action of the 20th of August the Ameri- 
can troops continued their march down the northwestern banks of 
the Maumee, and encamped within view of the British fort.* 
While the American army occupied this position (from the after- 
noon of the 20th to the forenoon of the 23d), five letters passed be- 
tween General Wayne and Major Campbell, the commandant of 
Fort Miami. Copies of these letters here follow: 

[number i.] 

"Miami [Maumee] River, August 21, 1794. 

"Sir: An army of the United States of America, said to be 
fander your command, having taken post on the banks of the Miami 
[Maumee] for upwards of the last twenty-four hours, almost within 
the reach of the guns of this fort, being a post belonging to his 
majesty the king of Great Britain, occupied by his majesty's troops, 
and which I have the honor to command, it becomes my duty to 
inform myself, as speedily as possible, in what light I am to view 
your making such near approaches to this garrison. I have no 
hesitation, on my part, to say, that I know of no war existing be- 
tween Great Britain and America. 

"I have the honor to be, sir, with great respect, your most 
obedient and very humble servant, William Campbell, 

Major 24th Regiment, commanding a British post on the banks of the Miami. 

"To Major-General Wayne, etc." 

*This fort, which was called "Fort Miami" [or Maumee], stood on the north- 
western bank of the river Maumee, at or near the site on which Maumee city (in 
Lucas county, Ohio) now stands. 



520 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

[NUMBER II.] 

" Camp on the bank of the Miami [Maumee], ) 

August 21, 1794. J 

"Sir: I have received your letter of this date, requiring from? 
me the motives which have moved the army under my command- 
to the position they at present occupy, far within the acknowledged 
jurisdiction of the United States of America. Without question- 
ing the authority or the propriety, sir, of your interrogatory, I 
think I may, without breach of decorum, observe to you, that, were 
you entitled to an answer, the most full and satisfactory one was 
announced to you from the muzzles of my small arms yesterday 
morning, in the action against the horde of savages in the vicinity 
of your post, which terminated gloriously to the American arms r 
but had it continued until the Indians, etc., were driven under the 
influence of the post and guns you mention, they would not have 
much impeded the progress of the victorious army under my com- 
mand, as no such post was established at the commencement of the 
present war between the Indians and the United States. 

" I have the honor to be, sir, with great respect, your most 
obedient and very humble servant, Anthony Wayne, 

" Major-General, and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Army. 

"To Major William Campbell, etc." 



[number iil] 

" Fort Miami, August 22, 1794. 

" Sir : Although your letter of yesterday's date ful ly authorizes 
me to any act of hostility against the army of the United States of 
America in this neighborhood, under your command, yet, still anx- 
ious to prevent that dreadful decision which, perhaps, is not in- 
tended to be appealed to by either of our countries, I have forborne, 
for these two days past, to resent those insults you have offered to 
the British flag flying at this fort, by approaching it within pistol 
shot of my works, not only singly, but in numbers, with arms in 
their hands. Neither is it my wish to wage war with individuals, 
but should you, after this, continue to approach my post in the 
threatening manner you are at this moment doing, my indispensa- 



CHKONOLOGICAL KECOEDS. 521 

ble duty to my king and country, and the honor of my profession, 
will oblige me to have recourse to those measures which thousands 
of either nation may hereafter have cause to regret, and which, I 
solemnly appeal to God, I have used my utmost endeavors to 
arrest. 

" I have the honor to be, sir, with much respect, your most 
obedient and very humble servant, William Campbell, 

" Major 24th Eegiment, Commanding at Fort Miami. 

" Major-General Wayne, etc." 



[number IV.] 

"Camp, banks of the Miami, 22d August, 1794. 

" Sir : In your letter of the 21st instant you declare, ' I have 
no hesitation on my part to say, that I know of no war existing be- 
tween Great Britain and America.' I, on my part, declare the 
same, and that the only cause 1 have to entertain a contrary idea 
at present is the hostile act you are now in commission of, i. e., by 
recently taking post far within the well-known and acknowledged 
limits ef the United States, and erecting a fortification in the heart 
of the settlements of the Indian tribes now at war with the United 
States. This, sir, appears to be an act of the highest aggression, 
and destructive to the peace and interest of the Union. Hence, it 
becomes my duty to desire, and I do hereby desire and demand, in 
the name of the president of the United States, that you immedi- 
ately desist from any further act of hostility or aggression, by for- 
bearing to fortify, and by withdrawing the troops, artillery and 
stores under your orders and direction, forthwith, and removing to 
the nearest post occupied by his Britannic majesty's troops at the 
peace of 1783, and which you will be permitted to do unmo- 
lested by the troops under my command. 

"lam, with very great respect, sir, your most obedient and 
very humble servant, Anthony Wayne. 

"Major William Campbell, etc." 



[number v.] 

"Fort Miami, 22d August, 1794. 
Sir : I have this moment the honor to acknowledge the re- 



522 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

ceipt of your letter of this date; in answer to which I have only to 
say that, being placed here in the command of a British post, and 
acting in a military capacity only, I can not enter into any discus- 
sion either on the right or impropriety of my occupying my pres- 
ent position. Those are matters that I conceive will be best left 
to the ambassadors of our different nations. Having said thus 
much, permit me to inform you that I certainly will not abandon 
this post at the summons of any power whatever, until I receive 
orders to that purpose from those I have the honor to serve under, 
or the fortune of war should oblige me. I must still adhere, sir, to 
the purport of my letters this morning, to desire that your army, 
or individuals belonging to it, will not approach within reach of 
my cannon without expecting the consequences attending it. Al- 
though I have said, in the former part of my letter, that my situa- 
tion here is totally military, yet let me add, sir, that I am much 
deceived if his majestv, the king of Great Britain, had not a post 
on this river at and prior to the period you mention. 

" I have the honor to be, sir, with the greatest respect, your 
most obedient and very humble servant, 

" William Campbell, 

" Major 24th Regiment, Commanding at Fort Miami. 

"To Major-General Wayne, etc." 

On the 14th of September, 1794, the army under the command 
of Wayne moved from Fort Defiance and marched toward the de- 
serted Miami village which stood at the confluence of the rivers 
St. Joseph's and St. Mary's. The troops reached that place on the 
17th of September; and, on the 18th, General Wayne reconnoit- 
ered the ground, and selected a site for a fort. On the 22d of Oc- 
tober, a fort was completed and garrisoned by a strong detachment, 
consisting ofinfantry and artillery, under the command of Colonel 
John F. Hamtramck, who gave to the new fortification the name 
of Fort Wayne, It was of a square form, with bastions at each 
angle, a ditch and parapet, and was large enough to contain about 
five hundred men. On the 2d of November, 1794, General 
Wayne established his headquarters at Greenville. 

1794. The " Whisky Insurrection," which broke out among 
some of the people of the western counties of Pennsylvania, in 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 523 

1791, was suppressed after costing the national government about 
six hundred and seventy thousand dollars. "The first act of vio- 
lence occured on the 6th of September, 1791, and was to the person 
and property of Robert Johnson, collector of the revenue for the 
counties of Washington and Allegheny. A party of men, armed 
and disguised, waylaid him at a place on Pigeon creek, in Wash- 
ington county, seized, tarred and feathered him, cut off his hair, 
and deprived him of his horse." Other officers were tarred and 
feathered, whipped, and deprived of valuable property. [Memoirs 
of Historical Society of Pennsylvania, vi. 130.] 

1794. In the course of the winter of 1794-5, General Wayne 
was visited at his headquarters by parties of Wyandots, Ottawas, 
Chippewas, Pottawattamies, Sacs, Miamis, Delawares and Shawa- 
nees, who respectively signed preliminary articles of peace, and 
agreed to meet Wayne at Greenville, on or about the 15th of June, 
1795, with all the sachems and war chiefs of their nations, for the 
purpose of concluding a definitive treaty of peace between the 
United States and the Indian tribes of the northwestern territory. 

1794. In May, 1794, a skirmish took place between small par- 
ties of whites and Indians, near the Ohio river, on the borders of 
Captina creek. [Ohio Historical Collections, p. 55.] 

1795. Between the years 1774 and 1795 about two hundred 
and thirteen "stations," "forts," or "blockhouses" were built in 
Kentucky. [Collins' Kentucky.] At almost every " station " or 
settlement the settlers built a fort or blockhouse. 

.1795. A treaty of amity, commerce and navigation between 
the United States and Great Britain was ratified on the 24th of 
June, 1795. (?) 

1795. In 1795 Cincinnati contained ninety-four cabins, ten 
frame houses, and about five hundred inhabitants. [Cist.] 

1795. Prices current at Nashville, Tennessee, June 4, 1795: 
Corn, per bushel, 16f cents; wheat, per bushel, 66f to 75 cents; 
rye, per bushel, 41 J cents; potatoes, per bushel, 33J cents; beef 
per one hundred pounds, $2.00; pork, per one hundred pounds, 
$3.00; butter, per pound, 8J- cents; cheese, per pound, 8J cents; 



524 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

bacon, per pound, 8J cents; bar iron, per pound, 16f cents; cast- 
ings, per pound, 16f cents; whisky, per gallon, 75 cents to $1.00. 
[Iinlay.] 

1795. The price of whisky at Vincennes, on the river Wa- 
bash, was three shillings per quart. 

1795. In the month of November, 1795, the town of Dayton, 
in Ohio, was laid out. 

1795. A settlement was founded at Armstrong's Station, on 
the right bank of the river Ohio, about seventeen miles above the 
falls. 

1795. From the 16th of June to the 10th of August, in 1795, 
General Wayne was engaged in negotiating a treaty of peace and 
friendship with various Indian tribes at Greenville. The treaty 
was signed on the 3d of August, and the proceedings were brought 
to a close on the 10th of the month, in a manner which was satis- 
factory to the government of the United States, and acceptable to 
the Indian tribes that were parties to the treaty. These tribes 
were the Wyandots, Delawares, Shawanees, Ottawas, Chippewas, 
Pottawattamies, Miamis, Eel Rivers, Weas, Kickapoos, Pianke- 
shaws and Kaskaskias. 

1795. On the 10th of August, in council, General Wayne, at 
the close of a short speech, said : " I now fervently pray to the 
Great Spirit that the peace now established may be permanent, and 
that it may hold us together in the bonds of friendship until time 
shall be no more. I also pray that the Great Spirit above may en- 
lighten your minds and open your eyes to your true happiness, that 
your children may learn to cultivate the earth, and enjoy the fruits 
of peace and industry. As it is probable, my children, that we 
shall not soon meet again in public council I take this opportunity 
of bidding you all an affectionate farewell, and of wishing you a 
safe and happy return to your respective homes and families." 

The treaty of Greenville was concluded in a manner which was 
satisfactory to the government of the United States and acceptable 
to the Indian tribes who inhabited the territory of the United 
States northwest of the river Ohio. Information of the treaty, and 
of the pacific disposition of the Indians, was soon spread among 



CHK0N0L0G1CAL RECORDS. 525 

the people of the eastern States of the American Union; and 
a full and constant tide of emigration began to flow from those 
States into the northwestern territory. Of the emigrants, some 
settled in the western reserve of Connecticut; some selected favor- 
able sites on the banks of the Ohio; the rich valleys of the rivers 
Scioto and Muskingum were settled by others; and many, attracted 
by the fame of the fertile region which lies between the two Miami 
rivers, settled at various places within the boundaries of Symmes' 
purchase. 

1795. On the 29th day of May, 1795, Governor St. Clair and 
two judges of the northwestern territory (John Cleves Symmes 
and George Turner) met at Cincinnati in their legislative capacity. 
In the course of their session, which ended on the 25th of August, 
1795, they adopted and made thirty-eight laws. The first section 
of "a law for the trial and punishment of larceny, under a dollar 
and a half," contains the following provisions: u If any person 
shall be convicted, either by his or her own confession, or the tes- 
timony of credible evidence, before any two justices of the peace, 
in their respective counties, of having feloniously stolen any 
money, goods, or chatties, (the same being under the value of five 
shillings, now equal to one hundred and fifty cents) the offender 
shall have judgment to be immediately and publicly whipped, 
upon his or her bare back, not exceeding fifteen lashes; or be fined 
in any sum, at the discretion of the said justices, not exceeding 
three dollars; and, if able, to make restitution, besides, to the 
party wronged ; paying also the charges of prosecution and whip- 
ping; or, otherwise, shall be sent to the workhouse, to be kept at 
hard labor ; and, for want of such workhouse, to be committed to 
prison, for such charges, for a term not exceeding twelve days." 

A law limiting imprisonment for debt, and subjecting certain 
debtors and delinquents to servitude, contains the following pro- 
visions: "No person shall be kept in prison for debt or fines 
longer than the second day of the sessions next after his or her 
commitment, unless the plaintiff shall make it appear that the per- 
son imprisoned hath some estate that he will not disclose; then, 
and in every such case, the court shall examine all persons sus- 
pected to be privy to the concealment of such estate ; and if no 



526 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

sufficient estate be found, the debtor shall make satisfaction by per- 
sonal and reasonable servitude, according to the judgment of the 
court where such action is tried (but only if the plaintiff require 
it), not exceeding seven years, where such debtor is unmarried 
and under the age of forty years; unless it be the request of the 
debtor, who may be above that age ; but if the debtor be married, 
and under the age of thirty-six, the servitude shall be for five 
years only; and with which the married man, upw T ard of thirty-six, 
shall be privileged, if it be his request. Should the plaintiff refuse 
to accept such satisfaction according to the judgment of the court, 
as aforesaid, then the prisoner shall be discharged in open court, 
and the plaintiff be forever barred from any further or other ac- 
tion for the same debt." 

1796. From the Pittsburg Gazette of January 9, 1796: "The 
number of inhabitants in the borough of Pittsburg, as taken by the 
assessors during the last week, amounts to one thousand three 
hundred and fifty-five." 

1796. The town of Chillicothe, in Ohio, was founded. 

1796. The town of Cleveland, in Ohio, was founded. 

1796. Tennessee was admitted as a state into the Union, by 
an act of Congress, June 1, 1796. 

1796. Major-General Anthony Wayne died at Presque Isle 
on the fifteenth of December. 

1796. In the summer of the year 1796, Mr. C. F. C. Volney, 
a distinguished French traveler, visited Vincennes. At that time 
the town contained about fifty dwelling houses, " whose cheerful 
white relieved the eye, after the tedious dusk and green of the 
woods." Each house was surrounded by a garden fenced with poles. 
Peach trees and inferior kinds of apple trees grew in manv of the 
inclosures. Many different kinds of garden vegetables were culti- 
vated by the inhabitants, and corn, tobacco, wheat, barley, " and 
even cotton," grew in the fields around the village. 

The following passages relating to the condition of the popu- 
lation of Vincennes in 1796 are taken from Volney's " View of 
the Soil and Climate of the United States of America:" "Adjoin- 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 527 

ing the village and river is a space inclosed by a ditch eight feet 
wide and by sharp stakes six feet high. This is called the fort, 
and is a sufficient safeguard against surprises from the Indians. I 
had letters to a principal man of the place, by birth a Dutchman, 
who spoke good French. I was accommodated at his house in the 
kindest and most hospitable manner for ten days. The day after 
my arrival [August 3d] a court was held, to which I repaired to 
make my remarks on the scene. On entering, I was surprised to 
find the audience divided into races of men in person and feature 
widely different from each other. The fair or light brown hair, 
ruddy complexion, round face and plump body, indicative of health 
and ease, of one set, were forcibly contrasted with the emaciated 
frame and meager, tawny visage of the other. The dress, likewise, 
of the latter denoted their indigence. I soon discovered that the 
former were new settlers from the neighboring states, whose lands 
had been reclaimed five or six years before, while the latter were 
French of sixty years standing in the district. The latter, three 
or four excepted, knew nothing of English, while the former were 
almost as ignorant of French. I had acquired, in the course of 
the year, a sufficient knowledge of English to converse with them 
and was thus enabled to hear the tales of both parties. 

"The French, in a querulous tone, recounted the losses and 
hardships they had suffered, especially since the last Indian war, 
in 1788. * * * * They complained that they were cheated 
and robbed, and especially that their rights were continually vio- 
lated by the courts, in which two judges only out of five were 
Frenchmen, who knew little of the laws or language of the English. 
Their ignorance, indeed, was profound. Nobody ever opened a 
school among them till it was done by the abbe R. [Rivet], a 
polite, well-educated and liberal-minded missionary, banished 
hither by the French revolution. Out of nine of the French, 
scarcely six could read or write; whereas, nine-tenths of the 
Americans, or emigrants from the east, could do both. * * * 
I could not fix, with accuracy, the date of the first settlement of 
Vincennes; and, notwithstanding the homage paid by some learned 
men to tradition, I could trace out but few events of the war of 
1757, though some of the old men lived before that period. I was 
only able to form a conjecture that it was planted about 1735. 



528 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

" These statements were confirmed, for the most part, by the 
new settlers. They only placed the same facts in a different point 
of view. They told me that the Canadians (for by that name the 
French of the western colonies are known to them) had only them- 
selves to blame for all the hardships they complained of. We 
must allow, say they, that they are a kind, hospitable, sociable 
sect; but then, for idleness and ignorance they beat the Indians 
themselves. They know nothing at all of our civil or domestic 
affairs. Their women neither sew, nor spin, nor make butter. 
* * * * The men take to nothing but hunting, fishing, roam- 
ing through the'woods, and loitering in the sun. They do not lay 
up, as we do, for winter, or provide for a rainy day. They can 
not cure pork or venison, make sourkrout or spruce beer, or distill 
spirits from apples or rye — all needful arts to the farmer." [Yol- 
ney's View, Philadelphia ed. 1804, p. 332.] 

1796. Before the close of the month of July, 1796, the British 
garrisons, with all their arms, artillery and stores, were withdrawn 
from Detroit and all other posts within the boundaries of the terri- 
tory of the United States northwest of the river Ohio. 

1796. In September, 1796, Winthrop Sargent, Secretary of 
the northwestern territory, visited Detroit, where he laid out the 
county of Wayne, and established the civil authority of the United 
States in that quarter of the territory. 

1796. A treaty of friendship, limits and navigation between 
the United States and the kingdom of Spain, was ratified on the 3d 
of March, 1796. By this treaty the southern boundary of the 
United States was fixed " by a line beginning on the river Missis- 
sippi at the northernmost part of the thirty-first degree of latitude 
north of the equator, which from thence shall be drawn due east to 
the middle of the river Appalachicola or Catahouche ; thence along 
the middle thereof to its junction with the Flint; thence straight 
to the head of St. Mary's river, and thence down the middle 
thereof to the Atlantic ocean." 

1797. John Adams, the second president of the United States, 
was inaugurated on the 4th of March, 1797. 

1797. The Pittsburg Gazette, of June 24, 1797, contains the 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 529 

following editorial article: "This paper is made in the western 
country. It is with great pleasure that we present to the public 
the Pittsburg Gazette, printed on paper made by Messrs. Jackson 
<fe Sharpless, on Redstone creek, Fayette county. Writing paper 
of all kinds and qualities, as well as printing paper, will be made 
at this mill. This is of great importance to the inhabitants of the 
country, not only because it will be cheaper than that which is 
brought across the mountains, but it will keep a large sum of 
money in the country which is yearly sent out for this article." 
[See Haz. Pennsylvania Register, v. 13, p. 224.J Samuel Jackson 
and Jonathan Sharpless built the first paper mill that was established 
in the country west of the Allegheny mountains. It was com- 
menced in 1796. The first blast furnace for the manufacture of 
iron west of the Allegheny mountains, was erected on Dunbar creek, 
about fifteen miles east of Brownsville, by Colonel Isaac Mason, 
John Gibson and Moses Dillon, the latter of whom afterwards set- 
tled in Ohio, and erected similar works near Zanesville. [Day's 
Historical Collections, 343.] 

1797. In 1797, the town of Detroit contained three hundred 
houses. 

1797. The Spanish authorities of Louisiana sent messages to 
the Illinois and Wabash Indians inviting them to remove to the 
country west of the river Mississippi. 

1797. Under the authority of the government of the United 
States, Ebenezer Zane, Jonathan Zane, and their assistants, laid 
out a road leading from Wheeling, in Virginia, through the country 
on the northwestern side of the river Ohio, to Maysville, in Ken- 
tucky. 

1797. In 1797, Colonel Daniel Boone (on the invitation of 
Zenon Trudean, the Spanish lieutenant-governor of Upper Louis- 
iana) removed from Kentucky to the country on the western side 
of the river Mississippi; and, on the 24th of January, 1798, hav- 
ing become a subject of the Spanish government, received from 
Lieutenant-Governor Trudeau a grant of one thousand arpents of 
land "situate on Femme Osage, District of St. Charles." 

34 



530 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 



The following is a statement of distances, 
Philadelphia to the Ohio river, at 



1797. 
the road from 
[From Imlay.] 

MILES. 

To Lancaster 66 

Middletown 26 

Harris' Ferry 10 

Carlisle 17 

Shippensburg 21 

Chamberstown 11 

Fort Loudon 13 

Fort Littleton 18 



in 



1797, on 
Pittsburg, 



MILES, 

To Juniata Creek 19 

Bedford 14 

Foot of the Allegheny Mountains 15 

Stony Creek 15 

East Side of Laurel Hill 12 

Fort Ligonier 9" 

Pittsburg 54 

Total 320 



Statement of distances, in 1797, on the road from Philadelphia 
to the falls of the river Ohio, by land. [From Imlay.] 



MILES. 

To Lancaster 66 

Wright's, on Susquehanna 10 

Yorktown 12 

Abbottstown 15 

Hunterstown 10 

Mountain at Black's Gap 3 

The Other Side of the Mountain.. 7 

The Stone House Tavern 25 

Wadkin's Ferry, on Potomac 14 

Martinsburg 13 

Winchester 20 

Newtown 8 

Stoverstown 10 

Woodstock 12 

Shenandoah River 15 

North Branch of Shenandoah 29 

Stanton 15 

North Fork of James River ., 37 

James River 18 

Botetourt Court House 12 

Woods', on Catawba River, 21 

Patterson's, on Roanoke 9 

The Allegheny Mountain 8 

New River 12 

Forks of the Road 16 

Fort Chissel... 12 

The Stone Mill 11 

Boyd's 8 

Head of Holston 5 



MILES. 

To Washington Court House 45 

Blockhouse 35 

Powell's Mountain 33 

Walden's Ridge 3 

The Valley Station 4 

Martin Cabins 25 

Cumberland Mountain 20 

Cumberland River 13 

Flat Lick 9 

Stinking Creek.. 2 

Richland Creek 7 

Down Richland Creek 8 

Raccoon Spring 6 

Laurel River 2 

Hazel Patch 15 

Ford on Rockcastle River 10 

English Station 25 

Colonel Edward's at Crab Orchard 3 

Whitley's Station 5 

Logan's Station 5 

Clark's Station 7 

Crow's Station 4 

Harrod's Station 3 

Harland's 4 

Harbison's 10 

Bard's Town , 25 

The SaltWorks 25 

The Falls of the Ohio 20 

Total from Philadelphia 826 



1797. In the course of the years 1795, 1796 and 1797, before 
the Spanish posts on the eastern side of the Mississippi were given 
up to the United States, some efforts were made by the agents of 
France and Spain to induce the people of the western country to 
separate themselves from the American Union, and to establish, in 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 531 

conjunction with Spain and France, an independent government 
on the western side of the Allegheny mountains. After the death 
of General Wayne, General James Wilkinson was invested with 
the command of the United States troops in the west ; and, in the 
month of June, 1797, the Baron de Carondelet, governor-general 
of Louisiana, sent one of his agents, Thomas Power, to General 
Wilkinson, with a letter, in which Wilkinson was requested to de- 
lay the march of the American troops for the posts on the Missis- 
sippi until the adjustment of certain questions which were then 
pending between the United States and the government of Spain. 
The real object of the mission of Thomas Power was to ascertain 
the opinions and sentiments of the western people on the subject of 
a separation of the Union. The following passages are extracted 
from the secret instructions which were given to Power by the 
Baron de Carondelet, on the 26th of May, 1797: 

" On your journey, you will give to understand adroitly, to 
those persons to whom you have an opportunity of speaking, that 
the delivery of the posts which the Spaniards occupy on the Mis- 
sissippi, to the troops of the United States, is directly opposed to 
the interest of those of the west, who, as they must one day sepa- 
rate from the Atlantic states, would find themselves without any 
communication with lower Louisiana, whence they ought to expect 
to receive powerful succors in artillery, arms, ammunition and 
money, either publicly or secretly, as soon as ever the western 
states should determine on a separation, which must insure their 
prosperity and their independence ; that, for this reason, Congress 
is resolved on risking everything to take those posts from Spain ; 
and that it would be forging fetters for themselves to furnish it 
with militia and means, which it can only find in the western 
states. These same reasons, diffused abroad by means of the pub- 
lic papers, might make the strongest impressions on the people, and 
induce them to throw off the yoke of the Atlantic states. * * * 
If a hundred thousand dollars distributed in Kentucky would 
cause it to rise in insurrection, I am very certain that the minister, 
in the present circumstances, would sacrifice them with pleasure; 
and you may, without exposing yourself too much, promise them 
to those who enjoy the confidence of the people, with another equal 



532 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

sura to arm them, in case of necessity, and twenty pieces of field 
artillery. 

" You will arrive without danger, as bearer of a dispatch for the 
general, where the army may be, whose force, discipline and dispo- 
sition you will examine with care; and you will endeavor to dis- 
cover, with your natural penetration, the general's disposition. I 
doubt that a person of his disposition would prefer, through vanity, 
the advantages of commanding the army of the Atlantic states, to 
that of being the founder, the liberator, in fine, the Washington of 
the western states; his part is as brilliant as it is easy; all eyes are 
drawn toward him; he possesses the confidence of his fellow citizens 
and of the Kentucky volunteers ; at the slightest movement the 
people will name him the general of the new republic; his reputa- 
tion will raise an army for him, and Spain as well as France will 
furnish him the means of paying it. On taking Fort Massac, we 
will send him instantly arms and artillery; and Spain, limiting 
herself to the possession of the forts of Natchez and Walnut Hills, 
as far as Fort Confederation, will cede to the western states all the 
eastern bank to the Ohio, which will form a very extensive and 
powerful republic, connected by its situation and by its interest 
with Spain, and in concert with it, will force the savages to become 
a party to it, and to confound themselves in time with its citizens. 

The public are discontented with the new taxes; Spain and 
France are enraged at the connection of the United States with 
England ; the army is weak and devoted to Wilkinson ; the threats 
of Congress authorize me to succor, on the spot and openly, the 
western states ; money will not then be wanting to me, for I shall 
send without delay a ship to Vera Cruz in search of it, as well as 
of ammunition. Nothing more will consequently be required but 
an instant of firmness and resolution to make the people of the 
west perfectly happy. If they suffer this instant to escape them, 
and we are forced to deliver up the posts, Kentucky and Tennes- 
see, surrounded by the said posts, and without communication with 
lower Louisiana, will ever remain under the oppression of the 
Atlantic states."* 

The emissary Power passed through Tennessee, Kentucky 

* American State Papers — Miscellaneous, ii, 103. 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 533 

and the northwestern territory as far as Detroit, where, late in the 
month of August, he found General Wilkinson. 

A letter dated "Detroit, September 4, 1797," from Wilkinson 
to Captain Robert Buntin, of Vincennes, contains the following 
passages : 

"I fear the Spaniards will oblige us to go to blows with them, 
in which case you know they must go to the wall. I shall pursue 
every means in my power to preserve to our country the blessings 
of peace; but shall make every preparation for war, and will be 
guarded against surprise. Mr. Power delivered me a letter from 
the Baron Carondelet, in which he states a variety of frivolous 
reasons for not delivering the posts, and begs that no more troops 
may be sent down the Mississippi before certain adjustments take 
place between our respective courts. I have put aside all his ex- 
ceptions, and have called on him in the most solemn manner to 
fulfill the treaty, as he regards the interest or honor of his master; 
and have hopes that my letter may produce some change in the 
conduct of the Dons. * * Although Mr. Power has brought 
me this letter, it is possible it might be a mask to other purposes; 
I have, therefore, for his accommodation and safety put him in care 
of Captain Shaumburgh, who will see him safe to New Madrid, by 
the most direct route. I pray you to continue your vigilance, and 
give me all the information in your power. I am just from Mich- 
ilimacinac, having visited that post to see it put into a state of de- 
fense." 

On the 5th of December, 1797, Power wrote to Don Manuel 
Gayoso, Spanish governor at Natchez, a letter from which the fol- 
lowing is an extract: "Having informed him [General Wilkin- 
son] of the proposals of the baron [de Carondelet], he proceeded 
to tell me that it was a chimerical project, which it was impossible 
to execute; that the inhabitants of the western states having ob- 
tained by treaty all they desired would not wish to form any 
other political or commercial alliances; and that they had no mo- 
tive for separating themselves from the interests of the other 
states of the Union, even if France and Spain should make them 
the most advantageous offers; that the fermentation which existed 
four years back is now appeased ; that the depredations and vexa- 
tions which American commerce suffered from the French priva- 



534 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

teers had inspired them with an implacable hatred for tneir nation; 
that some of the Kentuekians had proposed to him to raise three 
thousand men to invade Louisiana, in case a war should be de- 
clared between the United States and Spain; that the latter had no 
other course to pursue, under the present circumstances, but to 
comply fully with the treaty." In this same letter Power said : 
"A great portion of the principal characters in Kentucky, Cum- 
berland [Tennessee], and the northwest territory, have been insti- 
gators of the expedition of Genet and Clark against this province; 
consequently they are enemies of those who are [enemies] of the 
French ; more than one-half of the rest are those who take the 
greatest interest in a more intimate union of the western states 
with us; and many of those who remain (as they are not desirous 
of gaining conquests over Spain, but only to preserve the limits 
and privileges marked in the treaty) will do what they can in 
order to avoid hostilities. " 

In a letter, written at Cincinnati, under the date of " June 3d, 
1797," and addressed to Timothy Pickering, American secretary 
of state, Winthrop Sargent, secretary of the northwestern territory, 
said: "I seize the occasion to transcribe for you some paragraphs 
from a western letter. The Spaniards are reinforcing their upper 
posts on the Mississippi. General Howard, an Irishman, in qual- 
ity of commander-in-chief, with upward of three hundred men, is 
arrived at St. Louis, and employed in erecting very formidable 
works. It likewise appears, through various channels, that they 
are inviting a great number of the Indians of the territory to cross 
the Mississippi; and, for this express purpose, Mr. Lorromie, an 
officer in the pay of the crown, made a tour through all this coun- 
try last fall; since which time several Indians have been sent on 
the same errand, and generally furnished with plenty of cash to 
defray their expenses. A large party of Delawares passed down 
on White river, about the 6th of May, on their way to the Spanish 
side, bearing the national flag of Spain, some of them from St. 
Louis. They [the Spaniards] have above the mouth of the Ohio, 
on the Mississippi, several row-galleys with cannon." [Vide His- 
tory of Kentucky, by H. Marshall, i. 258, 283, 316; ii. 219, 250. 
History of Louisiana, by Barbe Marbois, 152, 162. Writings of 
Washington (edited by Jared Sparks), x. 355, 356, 360, 387; xii. 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 535 

$6. Life of Washington, by John Marshall, ii. 250, 257, 261, 
270, 332, 334, 393, 410. Wilkinson's Memoirs. American State 
Papers — Miscellaneous, i. from p. 704 to p. 713, and from p. 922 
to p. 939; ii. from p. 79 to p. 127. American State Papers — For- 
eign Relations, vol. i.; vol. ii. from p. 14 to p. 103.] 

1798. In the beginning of the year 1798 the government of 
Spain seemed to expect that Great Britain would send an expedi- 
tion from Canada, through the northwestern territory, against the 
province of Louisiana. To quiet the anxiety of Spain on this sub- 
ject, and to protect the territory of the LTnited States, President 
Adams, on the 4th of February, 1798, instructed General Wilkin- 
son to employ all the force within his power — both militia and reg- 
ulars, if necessary— to oppose the English or any other foreign 
•nation "who should presume to attempt a violation of the territory 
of the United States by an expedition through it against their en- 
emies." During the summer of 1798 the Spaniards retired reluc- 
tantly from their posts within the territory of the United States. 
On the 5th of October, 1798, General Wilkinson established his 
headquarters at Loftus* Heights, where Fort Adams was soon after- 
ward erected. This fort stood on the left bank of the river Missis- 
sippi, about six miles north of the thirty-first degree of north lati- 
tude. 

1798. The memorable alien and sedition laws w 7 ere passed by 
Congress in the summer of 1798, and each of these laws was limited 
to the time of two years from and after its passage. The first sec- 
tion of the act of June 25, concerning alien enemies, is comprised 
in the words following: 

"Be it enacted, by the senate and house of representatives of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, that it shall 
be lawful for the president of the United States, at any time during 
the continuance of this act, to order all such aliens as he shall judge 
•dangerous to the peace and safety of the United States, or shall 
have reasonable grounds to suspect are concerned in any treason- 
able or secret machinations against the government thereof, to de- 
part out of the territory of the United States within such time as 
shall be expressed in such order; which order shall be served on 
such alien by delivering him a copy thereof, or leaving the same at 



536 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS 

his usual abode, and returned to the office of the secretary of state 
by the marshal or other person to whom the same shall be directed. 
And in case any alien so ordered to depart shall be found at large 
within the United States after the time limited in such order for 
his departure, and not having obtained a license from the president 
to reside therein, or having obtained such license shall uot have 
conformed thereto, every such alien shall on conviction thereof be 
imprisoned for a term not exceeding three years and shall never 
after be admitted to become a citizen of the United States : Pro- 
vided, always, and be it further enacted, that if any alien so ordered 
to depart, shall prove to the satisfaction of the president, by evi- 
dence to be taken before such person or persons as the president 
shall direct, who are for that purpose hereby authorized to admin- 
ister oaths, that no injury or danger to the United States will arise 
from suffering such alien to reside therein, the president may grant 
a license to such alien to remain within the United States for such 
time as he shall judge proper and at such place as he shall desig- 
nate. And the president may also require of such alien to enter 
into a bond to the United States, in such penal sum as he may 
direct, with one or more sufficient sureties, to the satisfaction of the 
person authorized by the president to take the same, conditioned 
for the good behavior of such alien during his residence in the 
United States, and not violating his license, which license the pres- 
ident may revoke whenever he shall think proper." 

The following is a copy of the second section of the sedition law r 
which was entitled " An act for the punishment of certain crimes 
against the United States." Approved on the 14th of July, 1798; 

"And be it further enacted, that if any person shall write, print, 
utter or publish, or shall cause or procure to be written, printed^ 
uttered or published, or shall knowingly and willingly assist in 
writing, printing, uttering or publishing any false, scandalous and 
malicious writing or writings against the government of the United 
States or either house of the Congress of the United States, or the 
president of the United States, with intent to defame the said gov- 
ernment or either house of the said Congress or the president, or to* 
bring them or either of them into contempt or disrepute ; or to ex- 
cite against them, or either or any of them, the hatred of the good 
people of the United States; or to stir up sedition within the 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 537 

United States; or to excite any unlawful combinations therein for 
opposing or resisting any law of the United States, or any act of 
the president of the United States done in pursuance of any such 
law, or the powers in him vested by the constitution of the United 
States; or to resist, oppose or defeat any such law or act; or to aid, 
encourage or abet any hostile design of any foreign nation against 
the United States, their people or government, then such person, 
being thereof convicted before any court of the United States hav- 
ing jurisdiction thereof, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding 
two thousand dollars, and by imprisonment not exceeding two 
years." 

1798. The "Virginia resolutions of 1798" and the " Ken- 
tucky resolutions of 1799" are memorable acts, and were far- 
reaching in their influence in the political affairs of the United 
States. The Virginia resolutions of 1798 declare that the consti- 
tution of the United States is a "compact" " to which the states 
are parties;" that the powers of the general government "are lim- 
ited by the plain sense and intention of the instrument constituting 
the compact," and, that, " in case of a deliberate, palpable and dan- 
gerous exercise of the other powers not granted by the said com- 
pact, the states, who are the parties thereto, have the right and are 
in duty bound, to interpose for arresting the progress of the evil, 
and for maintaining, within their respective limits, the authorities, 
rights and liberties appertaining to them." How the states are 
to exercise this high power of interposition, "is," said Mr. Cal- 
houn, " a question that the states only are competent to determine." 
The same distinguished statesman said : " This right of interpo- 
sition, thus solemnly asserted by the state of Virginia, be it called 
what it may, state right, veto, nullification, or by any other name, 
I conceive to be the fundamental principle of our system." 

The Kentucky resolutions declare, substantially, that the sev- 
eral states "by compact, under the style and title of a constitution 
for the United States and of amendments thereto" "constituted a 
general government for special purposes, delegated to that govern- 
ment certain definite powers, reserving, each state to itself, the 
residuary mass of right to their own self-government; and that, 
whensoever the general government assumes undelegated powers 



538 CHKONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

its acts are unauthoritative, void and of no force ; that to this com- 
pact each state acceded as a state, and is an integral party ; its co- 
states forming, as to itself, the other party ;" and, " that, as in all 
other cases of compact among parties having no common judge, 
each party has a right to judge for itself, as well of infractions as 
of the mode and measure of redress." [Vide Jefferson's Complete 
Works, ix. 464; Marshall's History of Kentucky, ii. 255; Butler's 
Kentucky, 285; Randall's Life of Jefferson, ii. 449; Calhoun's 
Works, vi. 75.] 

1798. An act of Congress to suspend the commercial relations 
between the United States and France and the dependencies 
thereof, was approved on the 13th of June, 1798. 

1798. An act of Congress to authorize the defense of the mer- 
chant vessels of the United States against French depredations, 
was approved on the 25th of June, 1798. 

1798. An act of Congress authorizing the president of the 
United States to raise a provisional army, was approved on the 
28th of July, 1798. 

1798. The town of Steubenville, Ohio, was laid out. 

1798. On the 2d of July, 1798, President John Adams sent 
to the senate of the United States a communication in which he 
nominated George Washington to the office of " lieutenant-general 
and commander-in-chief of the armies raised, or to be raised, for 
the service of the United States." On the next day the senate 
confirmed the nomination ; and, on the 13th of July, Washington 
accepted the new commission. 

1798. The following "law for the punishment of maiming or 
disfiguring" was adopted by the territorial legislative authorities, 
at Cincinnati, on the 1st of May, 1798: "Whosoever on purpose 
and of malice aforethought, by laying in wait, shall unlawfully cut 
out or disable the tongue, put out an eye, slit or bite the nose, ear, 
or lip, or cut off or disable any limb or member, with the inten- 
tion, in so doing, to maim or disfigure such person, or shall volun- 
tarily, maliciously, and of purpose, pull or put out an eye while 
fighting or otherwise, every such offender, his or her aiders, abet- 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 539 

tors, and counselors, shall be sentenced to undergo a confinement 
in the jail of the county in which the offense is committed, for 
any time not less than one month nor more than six months, and 
shall also pay a fine not less than fifty dollars and not exceeding 
one thousand dollars — one-fourth of which shall be to the use of 
the territory, and three-fourths thereof to the use of the party 
grieved ; and for want of the means of payment, the offender shall 
be sold to service by the court before which he is convicted for 
any time not exceeding five years, the purchaser finding him food 
and rainment during the term." 

1798. By an act of Congress, approved April 7th, 1798, the 
territory of Mississippi was established. Winthrop Sargent was 
appointed governor of the territory. 

1798. June, William Henry Harrison was appointed secretary 
of the territory of the United States northwest of the river Ohio. 

1798. On the 29th day of October, 1798, Governor St. Clair 
issued a proclamation in which he directed the qualified voters of 
the northwestern territory to hold elections in their respective 
counties on the third Monday of December, and to elect represen- 
tatives to a general assembly, which he ordered to convene at Cin- 
cinnati on the 22d day of January, 1799. The representatives 
met at Cincinnati, and, in order to establish a legislative council 
according to the provisions of the ordinance of 1787, nominated 
ten persons, whose names were sent to the president of the United 
States. Governor St. Clair then prorogued the meeting of the 
representatives to the 16th day of September, 1799. On the 2d 
of March, 1799, President Adams selected from the list of ten 
nominees, the names of Jacob Burnet. James Findlay, Henry 
Vanderburgh, Robert Oliver and David Vance, and nominated 
these persons to be the legislative council of the territory of the 
United States northwest of the river Ohio. On the next day the 
nomination was confirmed by the senate. 

1799. A few members of the territorial legislature met at Cin- 
cinnati on the 16th of September, 1799, but the two houses were not 
properly organized until the 24th of September. Henry Vander- 
burgh was elected president of the legislative council. In the same 



540 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

body, William C. Schenk was elected secretary; George Howard, 
doorkeeper, and Abner Cary, sergeant-at-arms. The names of the 
members of the house of representatives were as follows: 

From the county of Hamilton — William Goforth, William 
McMillan, John Smith, John Ludlow, Robert Benham, Aaron 
Cad well [or Caldwell], and Isaac Martin. 

From the county of Ross — Thomas Worthington, Samuel Fin- 
ley, Elias Langham and Edward Tiffin. 

From the county of Wayne — Solomon Sibley, Charles F. Cho- 
bert de Joncaire and Jacob Visger. 

From the county of Adams — Joseph Darlington and Nathaniel 
Massie. 

From the county of Knox — Shadrach Bond. 

From the county of Jefferson — James Pritchard. 

From the county of Washington — Return Jonathan Meigs. 

The house of representatives elected Edward Tiffin speaker; 
John Reilly, clerk ; Joshua Rowland, doorkeeper, and Abraham 
Cary, sergeant-at-arms. 

On the 25th of September, Governor St. Clair addressed the 
territorial legislature, and, after calling the attention of that body 
to various subjects, closed his message in the following words: 
"The providing for, and the regulating the lives and morals of 
the present and of the rising generation, for the repression of vice 
and immorality, and for the protection of virtue and innocence, 
for the security of property and the punishment of crimes, is a 
sublime employment. Every aid in my power will be afforded, 
and I hope we shall bear in mind that the character and deport- 
ment of the people and their happiness both here and hereafter de- 
pend very much upon the genius and spirit of their laws." 

On the 3d of October, 1799, the territorial legislature elected a 
delegate to Congress from the northwestern territory. William 
H. Harrison, who was elected, received eleven votes; and Arthur 
St. Clair, Jr. (son of Governor St. Clair) received ten votes. 

In the course of their session, which was terminated on the 
19th of December, 1799, the legislative council and house of rep- 
resentatives passed forty-eight acts. Of these acts, Governor St. 
Clair approved thirty-seven, and vetoed eleven. Among these 



CHKONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 541 

eleven rejected acts there were six that related to the erection of 
new counties. 

1799. On the 2d of December, 1799, the legislature of the 
territory of the United States northwest of the river Ohio passed 
an act which was designed to prevent Sabbath-breaking, profane 
swearing, drunkenness, dueling, cock-fighting, running horses on 
public highways, and gambling at billiards, cards, dice, shovel- 
board, etc. By an act approved on the 19th of December, 1799, 
the owners of land within the territory were taxed, for every hun- 
dred acres of first-rate land, eighty-five cents; for every hundred 
acres of second-rate land, sixty cents; for every hundred acres of 
third-rate land, twenty-five cents; and so in proportion for a 
greater or smaller quantity of land. 

1799 The town of Zanesville, Ohio, was laid out. 

1799. On the 30th of December, 1799, Charles Willing Byrd 
was nominated to the office of secretary of the territory of the 
United States northwest of the river Ohio, and on the next day 
the senate confirmed the nomination. 

1799. December 22, Transylvania University was established 
at Lexington, Kentucky, by the union of the " Transylvania Sem- 
inary" and the " Kentucky Academy." [Collins.] 

1799. December 19, the first legislature of the territory of 
the United States northwest of the river Ohio was prorogued by 
Governor St. Clair until the first Monday in November, 1800. 

1799. Washington died at Mount Vernon, in Virginia, on 
the 14th of December, 1799. The following resolutions, written 
by General Henry Lee, and laid before the house of representa- 
tives on the 19th of December, by John Marshall, were unani- 
mously adopted : 

" The house of representatives of the United States, having 
received intelligence of the death of their highly valued fellow- 
citizen, George Washington, general of the armies of the United 
States, and sharing the universal grief this distressing event must 
produce, unanimously resolve : 

" 1. That this house will wait on the president of the United 
States in condolence of this national calamity. 



542 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

" 2. That the speaker's chair be shrouded with black, and that 
the members and officers of the house wear mourning during the 
session. 

" 3. That a joint committee of both houses be appointed to 
report measures suitable to the occasion and expressive of the pro- 
found sorrow with which Congress is penetrated on the loss of a 
citizen first in war, first in peace and first in the hearts of his coun- 
trymen. 

" 4. That when this house adjourns, it will adjourn until Mon- 
day next." 

1800. An act of Congress to divide the territory of the United 
States northwest of the Ohio river, into "two separate govern- 
ments," was approved on the 7th of May, 1800. The act declares 
" that from and after the fourth day of July next, all that part of 
the territory of the United States northwest of the Ohio river r 
which lies to the westward of a line beginning at the Ohio opposite 
to the mouth of Kentucky river and running thence to Fort Re- 
covery and thence north until it shall intersect the territorial line 
between the United States and Canada, shall, for the purpose of 
temporary government, constitute a separate territory, and be 
called the Indiana territory." 

The memorable ordinance of Congress, of July 13, 1787, re- 
mained in force in both parts of the divided territory. The pro- 
visions of this ordinance did not, however, confer upon the people 
of the territories rights which authorized them to exercise any high 
duties of political power. The authority to appoint territorial 
governors, territorial secretaries and judges of the superior court of 
the territory, was vested in the president of the United States and 
the national senate. The organization of a territorial legislature or 
General Assembly depended upon the vote of a majority of the 
freeholders of the territory. Before the organization of such a leg- 
islature the governor and the judges of the territory, or a majority 
of them, were invested with power to adopt and publish such laws, 
civil and criminal, of the original states, as might be best suited to 
the circumstances of the people, but laws thus adopted and pub- 
lished were subject to the disapproval of Congress. A freehold es- 
tate, in five hundred acres of land, was one of the necessary quali- 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 543 

fications of each member of the legislative council of the territory; 
every member of the territorial hou»e of representatives was re- 
quired to hold, in his own right, two hundred acres of land, and 
the privilege of voting for members of the house of representatives 
was restricted to those inhabitants who, in addition to other quali- 
fications, owned severally at least fifty acres of land. The people 
of the territory were not authorized by the provisions of the ordi- 
nance of 1787, nor by any act of Congress, to choose officers of the 
territorial militia, nor to elect judges of any of the inferior courts 
of the territory, nor clerks of the courts, nor justices of the peace, 
nor sheriffs, nor coroners, nor county treasurers, nor county sur- 
veyors. The power of choosing all these officers was vested in the 
governor of the territory. He also was invested with authority to 
divide the territory into districts; to apportion, among the several 
counties, the members of the house of representatives; to prevent 
the passage of any territorial law, and to convene, prorogue and 
dissolve the General Assembly of the territory whenever, in his 
opinion, it might be deemed expedient to exercise such authority. 

1800. On the 12th of May, 1800, William Henry Harrison 
was nominated for the office of governor of the Indiana territory, 
and, on the next day the senate of the United States confirmed the 
nomination. 

1800. John Gibson was nominated and confirmed as secretary 
of the Indiana territory on the 14th of May, 1800. William 
Clark, Henry Vanderburgh and John Griffin were appointed 
judges for the territory. 

1800. Early in the summer of 1800 the civilized population 
of the Indiana territory was estimated at four thousand eight hun- 
dred and seventy-five. 

1800. In the presidential election of 1800, the electoral vote 
for Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr being equal, no choice was 
made by the people, and the house of representatives proceeded, on 
Wednesday, February 11, 1801, in the manner prescribed by the 
constitution, to the choice of a president of the United States. On 
the first ballot eight states voted for Thomas Jefferson, of Vir- 
ginia, six states voted for Aaron Burr, of New York, and the 



544 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

votes of two states were divided. The balloting continued until 
Tuesday, 17th February, 1801, when the thirty-fifth ballot, as had 
all the previous ballots, resulted the same as the first. The house 
then proceeded to the thirty-sixth ballot, and it having been con- 
cluded, the speaker declared that the votes of ten states had been 
given for Thomas Jefferson, of Virginia, the votes of four states 
for Aaron Burr, of New York, and the votes of two states in 
blank; and that, consequently, Thomas Jefferson, of Virginia, 
had been, agreeably to the constitution, elected president of the 
United States for the term of four years, commencing on the 4th 
day of March, 1801. 

Thomas Jefferson, thus elected, took the oath of office and en- 
tered upon his duties on 4th of March, 1801. 

Aaron Burr, as vice president, took the oath of office and en- 
tered upon his duties on 4th of March, 1801. [Hickey's Constitu- 
tion, p. 318.] 

1800. In the summer of 1800 the population of Louisville, 
Kentucky, was about six hundred. 

1800. The seat of government of the United States was 
removed in the summer of 1800 to Washington City, in the District 
of Columbia. From the meeting of the Continental Congress in 
1774 to 1800, the seats of the government of the Union were as 
follows: At Philadelphia, commencing September 5, 1774; at 
Baltimore, Maryland, commencing December 20, 1776; at Phila- 
delphia, commencing March 4, 1777; at Lancaster, Pennsylvania, 
commencing September 27, 1777; at York, Pennsylvania, com- 
mencing September 30, 1777 ; at Philadelphia, commencing July 
2, 1778; at Princeton, New Jersey, commencing June 30, 1783; at 
Annapolis, Maryland, commencing November 26, 1783; at Tren- 
ton, New Jersey, commencing November 1, 1784; at New York 
city, commencing January 11, 1785. [Homan's Cyclopedia of 
Commerce, p. 1891.] 

1800. About two hundred newspapers were published in the 
United States ; seventeen were daily papers. 

1800. The legislature of the territory of the United States 
northwest of the river Ohio met at Chillicothe on the first Mon- 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 545 

'day in November, 1800. By an act of Congress of May 7 , 1800, 
Chillicothe was made the seat of government of the territory until 
removed to some other place by the legislature. 

The hardy and courageous men and women who passed west- 
ward over the Allegheny mountains between the years 176i> and 
1800 to lay the foundations of civilized settlements in a vast wil- 
derness, will always occupy a remarkable position in the field of 
American history. They were not learned in letters, nor skillful 
in the practice of the mechanic arts. Specimens of their clothing, 
arms, agricultural implements and household furniture have been, 
in many instances, preserved till the present times, and are exhib- 
ited as curious and interesting memorials of early western man- 
ners and customs. 

The early pioneer settlers of "the west" carried with them, 
severally, some contribution to the general store of pioneer knowl- 
edge. Some were good scouts and soldiers in times of Indian war- 
fere. Some knew how to repair guns which had become useless. 
Some were good hunters, successful trappers, and skillful in the 
use of the rifle. Some were good " corner-men," whose services 
were very useful in the work of building log cabins. Some knew 
how to tan hides, dress deer skins, and make hunting-shirts and 
moccasins. Some could make canoes, and others knew how to 
build skiffs, keel boats, flat boats and barges. The arts of making 
sugar, salt and certain kinds of distilled liquors were known and 
practiced by western pioneer settlers. Plows, hoes, horseshoes, 
flax-brakes, spinning wheels, reels and looms were occasionally 
made with some degree of skill. In almost every family some 
one knew how to spin, and to weave woolen fabrics. Hominy 
blocks, corn-graters, hand-mills, tub-mills and horse-mills were 
made for the use of families. Pretty good sifters were made by 
punching small holes in deerskin parchment. 

Among the pioneers there were persons who could manufacture 
churns, wooden buckets, wooden bowls, baskets and brooms. 
Every pioneer knew how to make hominy, johnny-cake, pone, hoe 
cake, ash cake, sassafras tea and spice wood tea. No pioneer was 
ignorant of certain rude methods of cultivating field crops and. 
35 



546 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

garden vegetables. In a word, either by physical strength or 
moral courage, or the exercise of military talents, or the employ- 
ment of skill in the practice of some useful art, or by the exemplary 
observance of Christian duties, the early Avestern pioneers, as indi- 
viduals, were able to contribute something either for the support, 
or for the defense, or for the comfort and convenience, or for the 
moral or religious improvement of the several settlements in which 
they lived. 

The early western pioneer settlers were not, for many years,, 
able to build churches nor to support regular religious worship* 
The forms of religious worship were not observed with much reg- 
ularity by them ; yet they did not neglect the practice of Christian 
virtues. To the sick they gave personal attention, and to the poor 
and helpless among them they gave shelter and food and raiment, 
kindly and liberally, according to their means. They helped one 
another in the works of building cabins and block-houses, in clear- 
ing lands for cultivation, and in planting and gathering their an- 
nual crops. The most popular men among them were those who 
had led successful expeditions against hostile Indians, and those 
who were good scouts, those who were good hunters and trappers, 
and those who were strong or skillful at cabin-raisings, log-rollings 
and rail-splittings. In the words of the Psalmist, " a man was 
famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees. " 

An early western pioneer, when he was well armed, carried a 
rifle, powder-horn, powder, bullets, bullet-moulds, lead, hunting- 
knife and tomahawk. Caps, or coverings for the head, were made 
out of the skins of foxes or other wild animals. Pantaloons were 
made either of coarse tow linen, or a mixture of wool and flax, or 
tanned deer-skins. Moccasins were in common use. The women, 
says Dr. Doddridge, " went barefooted in warm weather, and in 
cold their feet were covered with moccasins, coarse shoes, or shoe- 
packs. * * * Instead of the toilet they had to handle the dis- 
taff or shuttle, the sickle or weeding-hoe, content if they could 
obtain their linsey clothing and cover their heads with a sun- 
bonnet made of six or seven hundred linen. " 

Among the amusements, pastimes, sports and employments of 
the early western pioneers, were shooting at marks, hunting, fish- 
ing, trapping, running foot-races, hopping, jumping, wrestling, 



CHKONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 547 

pitching quoits, horse-racing, dancing, playing old plays, singing 
old ballads and merry-making at log-rollings, house-raisings, corn- 
huskings and quiltings. 

The articles which they used for food included venison, the 
meat of wild turkeys, wild geese, wild ducks, wild pigeons, bears, 
raccoons, squirrels, fish, hominy, pone, corn boiled or roasted, 
mush and milk or mush and sweetened water, potatoes, pumpkins, 
squashes, beans, cabbages, onions, wild honey, wild grapes, wild 
plums, papaws, blackberries, walnuts, hickory nuts, chestnuts, 
hazel nuts, sassafras tea, spicewood tea, etc. 

In a period of twenty-one years, commencing in 1774 and 
closing in 1794, there were fifteen years of war between the In- 
dians and the western pioneers. Yet, in every pioneer settlement, 
during this time, there were some men who struggled to go on- 
ward in the rough and bloody path over which they were moving, 
and, w 7 ith strong faith, looked on it as the only way through a 
wilderness of barbarism to a happy state of peace and prosperity. 
Such men were the leaders in the works of building the first rude 
school houses, organizing the first churches, opening the first 
farms, planting the first orchards, erecting the first mills, laying 
out the first towns, and establishing the first printing offices. 

From the period of the discovery of America by Europeans to 
the present time, the unremitting efforts which have been made by 
Christians and philanthropists to reclaim the Indian tribes from a 
state of barbarism have been almost fruitless. In heathen lands 
the efforts of Christian missionaries have often been resisted, and 
sometimes wholly defeated, by obstacles which were based upon 
the adverse religious tenets and the political stratagems of rival 
Christian nations. For a period of one hundred and fifty years 
Protestant England and Catholic France were rivals in the great 
works of acquiring territory, planting colonies, and establishing 
trade among the Indian tribes of North America. Of the Chris- 
tian missionaries of these two nations, very few, if any, were 
wholly free from the influence of the hostile rivalry that was 
brought into action and maintained by their respective govern- 
ments.* 

*In 1649 the British Parliament chartered " a corporation for converting the 
American Indians." [McPherson's Annals of Commerce, ii, 439.] 



548 CHKONOLOGICAL KECORDS. 

Among the number of reasons which were assigned for the 
planting of British colonies in New England there was one which 
declared that it would " be a service unto the church of great con- 
sequence to carry the gospel into those parts of the world and raise 
a bulwark against the kingdom of anti-Christ which the Jesuits 
labor to rear up in all parts of the world."* The Reverend Cot- 
ton Mather, in his Ecclesiastical History of New England, says, 
that, in the year 1696, an Indian chief informed a Christian minis- 
ter of Boston that the French, while instructing the Indians in 
the Christian religion, told them that the Savior was of the French 
nation, " that they were the English who had murdered him ; and 
that, whereas, he rose from the dead and went up to the heavens, 
all that would recommend themselves unto his favor must revenge 
his quarrel upon the English, as far as they can."f 

Thus, in North America, throughout a long period, there was, 
between the early colonists of England and the early colonists of 
France, no true Christian sympathy — no lasting friendly inter- 
course — no long season of peace. Ever eager to advance the in- 
terests of their respective governments, the French and the English 
colonists, forming small and weak branches of Christian nations, 
and nourishing antagonistic creeds, hot animosities, bitter revilings 
and deadly warfare, were agitating, oppressing and defaming one 
another. 

In the first message delivered by Governor Harrison to the 
first General Assembly of the Indiana territory, on the 30th of 
July, 1805, the following remarks appear: 

" The interests of your constituents, the interests of the miser- 
able Indians, and your own feelings, will sufficiently urge you to 
take it into your most serious consideration, and provide the rem- 
edy which is to save thousands of our fellow-creatures. You are 
witnesses to the abuses; you have seen our towns crowded with 
furious and drunken savages; our streets flowing with their blood; 
their arms and clothing bartered for the liquor that destroys them; 
and their miserable women and children enduring all the extremi- 
ties of cold and hunger. So destructive has the progress of intem- 

*Ecclesiastical History of New England, by Rev. Cotton Mather, b. i. 65. 

tld. b. vii. art. xxii.; Adair's History of the American Indians (London, quarto 
ed.), p. 153. 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 549 

perance been among them that whole villages have been swept 
away. A miserable remnant is all that remains to mark the names 
and situation of many numerous and warlike tribes. In the ener- 
getic language of one of their orators, it is a dreadful conflagration, 
which spreads misery and desolation through the country and 
threatens the annihilation of the whole race/' 

The character and the condition of the Miami Indians in the 
year 1817 were fairly described in a letter which was written in 
that year by Benjamin F. Stickney, an Indian agent in the service 
of the United States. The following passages are copied from this 
letter, which was dated, "Fort Wayne, August 27, 1817," and ad- 
dressed to Thos. L. McKinney, superintendent of Indian affairs. 
The agent, Mr. Stickney, said : " I shall pay every attention to the 
subject of your letter, developing the exalted views of philanthropy 
of the Kentucky Baptist Society for propagating the gospel among 
the heathen. The civilization of the Indians is not a new subject 
to me. I have been between five and six years in the habit of daily 
and hourly intercourse with the Indians northwest of the Ohio, and 
the great question of the practicability of civilizing them ever be- 
fore me. That I might have an opportunity of casting in my mite 
to the bettering of the condition of these uncultivated human be- 
ings, and the pleasure of observing the change that might be pro- 
duced on them, were the principal inducements to my surrendering 
the comforts of civilized society. 

" Upon my entering on my duties I soon found that my spec- 
ulative opinions were not reducible to practice. "What I had 
viewed at a distance as flying clouds proved, upon my nearer ap- 
proach, to be impassable mountains. Notwithstanding these dis- 
couraging circumstances I am ready to aid your views by all proper 
means within my power, and in so doing, believe I embrace the 
views of the government of which I am agent. * ■ * * It will 
be proper for me to be more particular and give you something of 
my ideas of the nature and extent of the obstacles to be met. 

" First, the great and I fear insurmountable, obstacle is the in- 
satiable thirst for intoxicating liquors that appears to be born with 
all the yellow-skin inhabitants of America, and the thirst for gain 
of [some of] the citizens of the United States appears to be capable 
of eluding all the vigilance of government to stop the distribution 



550 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

of liquor among them. When the Indians can not obtain the means 
of intoxication within their own limits, they will travel any dis- 
tance to obtain it. There is no fatigue, risk or expense that is too 
great to obtain it. In some cases it appears to be valued higher 
than life itself. If a change of habit in this can be effected, all 
other obstacles may yield. But if the whites can not be restrained 
from furnishing them with spiritous liquors, nor they from the use 
of them, I fear all other efforts to extend to them the benefits of 
civilization will prove fruitless. The knowledge of letters serves 
as a medium of entering into secret arangements with the whites to 
supply the means of their own destruction, and within the limits of 
my intercourse the principal use of the knowledge of letters or civ- 
ilized language has been to obtain liquor for themselves or others. 

" Secondly, the general aversion to the habits, manners, customs 
and dress of civilized people; and in many cases an Indian is an 
object of jealousy for being acquainted with a civilized language, 
and it is made use of as a subject of reproach against him. 

" Thirdly, general indolence, connected with a firm conviction 
that the life of a civilized man is that of slavery, and that savage 
life is manhood, ease and independence. 

" Fourthly, the unfavorable light in which they view the char- 
acter of the citizens of the United States, believing that their minds 
are so occupied in trade and speculation that they never act from 
other motives. * * * Their opinion of the government of the 
United States is in some degree more favorable, but secretly they 
view all white people as their enemies, and are extremely suspi- 
cious of everything coming from them. 

"All the Miamis and Eel river Miamis are under my charge, 
about one thousand four hundred in number, and there are some- 
thing more than two thousand Pottawattamies who come within my 
agency. The proportion of children can not be ascertained, but it 
must be less than among the white inhabitants of the United States. 
They have had no schools nor missionaries among them since the 
time of the French Jesuits. They have places that are commonly 
called villages, but perhaps not correctly, as they have no uniform 
place of residence. During the fall, winter and part of the spring 
they are scattered in the woods hunting. The respective bands as- 
semble together in the spring at their several ordinary places of re- 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 551 

sort, where some have rude cabins made of small logs covered with 
bark, but more commonly some poles stuck in the ground and tied 
together with pliant strips of bark, and covered with large sheets 
of bark or a kind of mats made of flags. 

" Near these places of resort they plant some corn. There are 
eleven of these places of resort, called villages, within my agency. 
The Miamis and Eel river Miamis reside, principally on the Wa- 
bash, Mississinewa and Eel river, and the head of White river. 
The Pottawattamies [reside] on the Tippecanoe, Kankakee, Iro- 
quois, Yellow river, St. Joseph of Lake Michigan, the Elkhart, 
Miami of the lake, the St. Joseph emptying into it, and the St. 
Mary's river. They all believe in a God, as creator and governor, 
but have no idea of his will being communicated to man, except as 
it appears in the creation, or as it appears occasionally from his 
providential government. Some of them have been told of other 
communications having been made to the white people a long time 
since, and that it was written and printed ; but they have neither 
conception nor belief in relation to it. Their belief in a future 
•existence is a kind of transubstantiation — a removal from this 
■existence to one more happy, with similar appetites and enjoy- 
ments. They talk of a bad spirit, but never express any appre- 
hension of his troubling them in their future existence. " 

"Man," says the benevolent Chalmers, "having a right to the 
world from the gift of the beneficent Creator, must possess and 
use the general estate according to the grant which commanded 
him to multiply, and subsist by labor; and little would the earth 
have been peopled or cultivated had the men continued to live by 
hunting or fishing or the mere productions of nature. The rov- 
ing of erratic tribes over wide extended deserts does not form a 
possession which excludes the subsequent occupancy of emigrants 
from countries overstocked with inhabitants. The paucity of their 
numbers and their mode of life render them unable to fulfill the 
great purposes of the grant. Consistent, therefore, with the great 
charter to mankind, they may be confined within certain limits. 
Their rights to the privileges of men, nevertheless, continue the 
same. And the colonists who conciliated the affections of the ab- 
origines and gave a consideration for their territory have acquired 
the praise due to humanity and justice." 









552 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

1801. January 10, Governor Harrison issued a proclamation' 
requiring the attendance of the territorial judges at Vincennes, the 
seat of government, for the purpose of adopting and publishing 
laws for the government of the Indiana territory. On the 12th of 
January the governor and judges of the territory met in session at 
Vincennes, and continued their sessions until January 26, when 
they adjourned, having adopted and published ten laws and resolu- 
tions. 

1801. March 3, first general court of the Indiana territory 
began its session at Vincennes — William Clarke, Henry Vander- 
burgh and John Griffin, judges. 

1801. The missionaries Kluge and Luckenbach, with twelve 
Christian Indians, made some unsuccessful efforts to establish a 
mission among the Delawares, on the borders of White river, in 
the Indiana territory. 

1801. April 27, the first sea vessel from above Cincinnati 
passed down the river Ohio, April 27, 1801. " Anchored off this 
place [Cincinnati] on Monday afternoon the brig St. Clair, Com- 
modore Whipple, commander, of one hundred tons burthen. She 
was built at Marietta, and is allowed by good judges to be well 
built and a handsome vessel. She is completely rigged and ready 
for sea. Her cargo is the produce of the country. She is bound 
for some of the West India Islands. 

" On her arrival, the banks were crowded with people, all eager 
to view this pleasing prestige of the future greatness of our infant 
country. This is the first vessel which has descended the Ohio 
equipped for sea." [Western Spy and Hamilton Gazette, of April, 
1801; Cist's Cincinnati (1841), p. 181.] 

1802. Ohio, the first state formed out of the territory of the 
United States northwest of the river Ohio, adopted a constitution. 
"The territorial government was ended by the organization of the 
state government March 3, 1803, pursuant to the provisions of a 
constitution formed at Chillicothe, November 29, 1802." [Doug- 
lass' History of Wayne county, Ohio, p. 47.] 

1803. Extract from the "Journal of a Tour by Thaddeus 
Mason, A. M.": 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 553 

"Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, April 15, 1803. 

" Dry goods in general are sold nearly as cheap as at Baltimore ; 
other goods are, on account of the carriage, which is $4.50 from 
Baltimore and $5 per 100 lbs. from Philadelphia, proportionably 
higher. The merchants here, as well as those of the western 
country, receive their goods from Philadelphia and Baltimore, but 
a small part of the trade being given to New York and Alexan- 
dria, [Va.] The terms of credit are generally from nine to twelve 
months. The produce which they receive from the farmers is sent 
to New Orleans, the proceeds of which are remitted to the Atlan- 
tic states to meet their payments. 

" Most of the articles of merchandise brought in wagons over 
the mountains in the summer season, and destined for the trade 
down the river [Ohio] are stored at this place to be ready for em- 
barkation. With these a great many trading boats are laden 
which float down the river stopping at the towns on its banks to 
vend the articles. In a country so remote from commerce, and of 
so great extent, where each one resides on his own farm and 
has neither opportunity nor convenience for visiting a market, 
these trading boats contribute very much to the accommodation of 
life by bringing to every man's house those little necessaries which 
it would be very troublesome to go a great distance to procure." 

1803. On the 30th of April, 1803, under the administration 
of President Jeiferson, the immense province of Louisiana was 
purchased from France by the United States, for a sum amounting 
to about fifteen millions of dollars. It is erroneously stated in 
some popular historical works that Louisiana, at the time of its 
purchase, was bounded on the west by the Pacific ocean. There 
is no good authority in any law, treaty, or other official document, 
which supports the statement that the province of Louisiana, at 
any time, extended westwardly beyond the sources of the rivers 
which flow from the west into the Mississippi. 

Mr. Jeiferson, in a letter written in 1804, says : 
"While I was in Europe I had purchased everything I could 
lay my hands on which related to any part of America, and partic- 
ularly had a pretty full collection of the English, French and 
Spanish authors on the subject of Louisiana. The information 



554 CHKONOLOGICAL KECORDS. 

which I got from these was entirely satisfactory." [Jefferson's 
Works, vol. iv. p. 539.] 

On the 31st of December, 1816, Mr. Jefferson said: 

* * * a By the charter of Louis XIV. all the country 
comprehending the waters which flow into the Mississippi was 
made a part of Louisiana. Consequently its northern boundary 
was the summit of the highlands in which its northern waters 
rise. But by the tenth article of the treaty of Utrecht, France and 
England agreed to appoint commissioners to settle the boundary 
between their possessions in that quarter, and those commissioners 
settled it at the forty-ninth degree of latitude. * * * This it 
was that induced the British commissioners, in settling the bound- 
ary with us, to follow the northern water line to the Lake of the 
Woods, at the latitude of forty-nine degrees, and then go off on 
that parallel. This, then, is the true northern boundary of Louis- 
iana. The western boundary of Louisiana is, rightfully, the Rio 
Bravo (its main stream) from its mouth to its source, and thence 
along the highlands and mountains dividing the waters of the 
Mississippi from those of the Pacific. * * * On the waters of 
the Pacific we can found no claim in right of Louisiana. If we 
claim that country at all, it must be on Astor's settlement near the 
mouth of Columbia, and the principles of the jus gentium of Amer- 
ca, that when a civilized nation takes possession of the mouth of a 
river in a new country, that possession is considered as including 
all its waters." [Jefferson's Works, vol. vii. p. 51.] 

Bancroft, in his History of the United States, says: "That 
Louisiana extended to the head spring of the Allegheny, and 
included the Laurel Ridge, the Great Meadows, and every brook 
that flowed to the Ohio, was, on the eve of the treaty of Utrecht, 
expressly asserted in the royal grant of the province." [Bancroft, 
iii. 347.] 

The treaty by which Louisiana was purchased contained the 
following article : 

" The inhabitants of the ceded territory shall be incorporated 
in the Union of the United States and admitted as soon as possible, 
according to the principles of the federal constitution, to the enjoy- 
ment of all the rights, advantages and immunities of citizens of 
the United States; and in the meantime they shall be maintained 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 555 

and protected in the free enjoyment of their liberty, property and 
the religion which they profess." 

A letter written by President Jefferson, November 1, 1803, 
says : 

" Our policy will be to form New Orleans and the country on 
both sides of it on the Gulf of Mexico, into a state; and as to all 
above that, to transplant our Indians into it, constituting them a 
Marechaussee to prevent emigrants crossing the river until we 
shall have filled up all the vacant country on this side." [Jeffer- 
son's Works, iv. 509.] 

1804. By an act of Congress, approved on the 26th of March, 
1804, that part of the territory of Louisiana which was situated 
west of the river Mississippi, and north of the thirty-third degree 
of north latitude, was, under the name of the district of Louisiana, 
attached to the territory of Indiana; and the governor and judges 
of this territory were invested with authority to exercise over the 
district of Louisiana powers similar to those which they were au- 
thorized to exercise for the maintenance of civil government in the 
territory of Indiana. In conformity with the provisions of this 
act of Congress, Governor Harrison and the judges of the Indiana 
territory, at a session begun at Vincennes, on the 1st of October, 
1804, adopted and passed some laws for the government of the dis- 
trict of Louisiana. This district was, however, detached from the 
territory of Indiana under the provisions of an act of Congress, 
approved on the 3d of March, 1805. 

1804. July 4, first newspaper printed in Indiana territory, 
issued at Vincennes, by Elihu Stout. 

1804. By the authority of the government of the United 
States, an exploring expedition, under the command of Captain Meri- 
wether Lewis and Lieutenant William Clark, set out from the place 
of rendezvous, near the mouth of the Missouri river, early in the 
spring of 1804. The expedition, consisting of forty-five men, fur- 
nished with boats and other necessary supplies, moved up the Mis- 
souri as far as latitude forty-seven degrees and twenty-one minutes 
north, and encamped for the winter in the vicinity of some Man- 
dan villages, about 1610 miles from St. Louis. Early in April, 
the expedition moved onward beyond the sources of the Missouri 



556 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

river, crossed the Rocky Mountains, and arrived at the mouth of 
the Columbia river about the middle of November, 1805. The 
party passed the winter in a small fort which they erected at a 
point a few miles distant from the Pacific ocean. Early in March, 
1806, the expedition moved from their winter quarters, recrossed 
the Rocky Mountains, descended the Missouri river, and arrived 
at St. Louis in September, 1806, after an absence of about two 
years and four months, having lost only one man. At a council 
which was held with the Rickarees, or Pawnees, who lived on the 
borders of the Missouri, above the region inhabited by the Sioux, 
the Indians refused a present of whisky. " Supposing that it was 
agreeable to them, as to the other Indians, we had at first offered 
them whisky ; but they refused it with this sensible remark, that 
they were surprised that their father should present to them a 
liquor which would make them fools." [Lewis and Clark's Expe- 
dition, i, p. 140.] 

1804. July 11th, Aaron Burr kills Alexander Hamilton in a 
duel at Hoboken. At the first fire Hamilton fell, mortally wounded, 
on the same spot where, a short time previously, his oldest son had 
been killed in a duel. 

1805. In the Indiana territory, in 1805, the Shawanee 
Prophet, a brother of the Indian chief Tecumseh, told the Indians 
that commands of the Great Spirit required them to punish, with 
death, those who practised the arts of witchcraft and magic. He 
told them, also, that the Great Spirit had given him power to find 
out and expose such persons. The speeches of the Prophet 
aroused, among some bands of Indians, a high degree of supersti- 
tious excitement. An old Delaware chief, whose name was Tate- 
e-bock-o-She, through whose influence a treaty had been made 
with the Delawares in 1804, was accused of witchcraft, tried, con- 
demned and tomahawked. His body was then consumed by fire, 
at the Indian village which stood within the present limits of Dela- 
ware county. At the same place, three Indians, one of whom was 
a woman, were tried for witchcraft, and condemned to death. The 
two men were burned at the stake ; but the life of the woman was 
saved by her brother, who suddenly took her by the hand, and ex- 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 557 

claimed : " The Evil Spirit has come among us, and we are kill- 
ing each other. " 

1805. By an act of Congress of January 11, 1805, the, terri- 
tory of Indiana was divided, in order to establish the territory of 
Michigan, which was separated from the Indiana territory from 
and after the 30th of June, 1805. The Michigan territory was 
formed out of "all that part of the Indiana territory which lies 
north of a line drawn east from the southerly bend or extreme of 
Lake Michigan until it shall intersect Lake Erie, and east of line 
drawn from the said southerly bend through the middle of said 
lake to its northern extremity, and thence due north to the north- 
ern boundary of the United States." 

1805. During the course of the years 1805 and 1806, the move- 
ments of Aaron Burr, in the western and southern parts of the 
Union, created a considerable degree of popular excitement. In 
1805 he visited Lexington, Louisville, Nashville, Natchez, New 
Orleans, St. Louis, and other towns in the west. He returned to 
Lexington and remained for some time at that place. In 1806 he 
made his second visit to the west, and in the month of August ar- 
rived at the residence of Harman Blennerhassett, on Blennerhas- 
sett's Island, in the river Ohio, about fourteen miles below the 
town of Marietta. At this place Burr passed a large portion of 
his time. It seems, from the Blennerhassett papers and from other 
authorities, that the object of Burr, at this time was three-fold : 

" First. To ascertain the sentiments of the people of the west 
upon the subject of a separation from the Atlantic States. Sec- 
ondly. To enlist recruits and make arrangements for a private 
expedition against Mexico and the Spanish provinces, in the event 
of a war between the United States and Spain. Thirdly. In the 
event of a failure of both of these measures, to purchase a tract of 
land of Baron Bastrop, lying in the territory of Louisiana, on 
the Washita river. Upon this he contemplated the establishment 
of a colony of intelligent and wealthy individuals, where he might 
rear around him a society remarkable for its refinement in civil 
and social life." [Blennerhassett Papers, p. 106.] 

The movements of Burr attracted the attention of the national 
government. An attempt was made in Kentucky to convict him 



558 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

of a " high misdemeanor, in organizing a military expedition? 
against a friendly power, from within the territory and jurisdic- 
tion of the United States." On the 5th of December, 1806, the 
grand jury returned " not a true bill." On the 1st of December 
a messenger from the President of the United States "arrived at 
the seat of government of Ohio, and instantly procured the pass- 
age of a law by which ten of Colonel Burr's boats, laden with pro- 
visions and military stores, w T ere seized on the Muskingum, before 
they could reach the Ohio. At the very moment that he appeared 
in court [in Kentucky] an armed force in his service occupied 
Blennerhassett's Island, and boats laden with provisions and mili- 
tary stores were commencing their voyage down the river, and 
passed Louisville on the 16th of December. Scarcely was the 
grand jury discharged, and the ball which celebrated his acquittal 
concluded, when the President's proclamation reached Kentucky, 
and a law was passed in hot haste for seizing the boats which had 
escaped the militia of Ohio, and were then descending the river. 
Burr had left Frankfort about the 7th [December, 1806,], and had 
gone to Nashville." [Collins* History of Kentucky.] 

In February, 1807, he was arrested in the vicinity of Fort 
Stoddart, on the Tombigbee river, from which place of arrest he 
was taken to Richmond, Virginia, tried on an indictment for trea- 
son, and acquitted in September, 1807. 

In a letter written by Waller Taylor to Governor Harrison, 
and dated, "Louisville, January 12, 1807," the writer says: 

" I arrived at JefFersonville on Saturday morning last, after an 
extremely disagreeable journey, occasioned by the badness of the 
roads, and the difficulty of making our stages of a night. The 
public mind at this place appears to be much agitated on account 
of Colonel Burr's mysterious movements. Conjectures are various 
about his intentions; but nothing certain has transpired to throw 
any light on his views. There is stationed at this place about two 
hundred militia, who examine all boats that descend the river. 
No discoveries have yet been made by them; and only two boats 
have yet been detained, which were built by Burr's direction at 
Jeffersonville or this place, and I am not certain which. A large 
drove of horses, said to be purchased for the expedition, will be 
seized to-day, by the civil authority of the State. It seems to me 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 559 

that the precautions now taken are perfectly useless; because Burr, 
I believe, has got all the force he could raise from this State, and 
is, probably, before this time, at Natchez.'' 

1807. Steamboats and steam navigation. Robert Fulton was 
the builder of the first one, which was called the North River, and 
was of eighteen-horse power. Her first trip was made between Al- 
bany and New York, in thirty-three hours. When making his ex- 
periment on the Hudson the uniform expression of all who refer- 
red to his wonderful achievement was that of ridicule and scorn. 
He was heard to remark, "Never did a single encouraging remark, 
a bright hope or a warm wish, cross my solitary path." [See 1812.] 

1807. June 22d, the British ship-of-war Leopard attacked the 
frigate Chesapeake, commanded by Commodore Barron, a few 
leagues out from Hampton Roads. This unwarranted violence on 
the part of the English authorities led to other complications which 
precipitated the war of 1812. 

1807. First annual conference of the Methodist Church in 
Ohio commenced its session in Chillicothe on the 14th of Septem- 
ber. 

1808. Some interesting statements in reference to the trade r 
commerce and industrial pursuits of the pioneer settlers about the 
upper borders of the river Ohio are copied from a Pittsburg pub- 
lication, The Navigator, for 1808: 

" This river [the Monongahela], like most others in this coun- 
try, is accompanied with a considerable hill on each side, which 
sometimes approaches close to the banks, and again recedes, leaving 
spacious and rich bottoms, in which are generally found large 
sugar camps, each sugar tree producing, if well managed during 
the season, four pounds of excellent sugar, equal to the Musque- 
vado, especially if it has time to ripen before used, and each pound 
is worth thirteen cents; thus a sugar camp containing five hun- 
dred trees produces two thousand pounds of sugar, worth two hun- 
dred and sixty dollars. The sugar season seldom lasts more than 
a month or six weeks, and a camp of this size can be attended by 
one man and three or four boys to carry the water, thus leaving a 
handsome salary for each during a season that very little else can 



560 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

be done on a farm. The sugar season sometimes, however, is very 
precarious, owing to the irregularity of the breaking up of winter 
and the ushering in of spring. But it would certainly be provi- 
dent in farmers to take care of their sugar trees, and rather than 
destroy a grove of fifty trees, plant an orchard of one thousand. 
In order to give a spur to this species of economy, our merchants 
ought not to receive a pound of sugar from over the mountains, 
and by this means give every encouragement for the use and con- 
sumption of sugar made at home. This would stimulate the far- 
mer and reward the laborer. The policy of such a plan would be 
wise, and be the means of saving many thousands of dollars in the 
country, which are now sent out for sugars of different kinds. 
Indeed, I do not see why loaf and lump sugar could not be manu- 
factured from our maple sugar as good as that produced from the 
West India cane." 

The annexed excerpt is one of statistical and historic interest > 
" The land being generally rich on the Monongahela, crops of 
wheat, rye, barley, oats, buckwheat, corn, potatoes, etc., are raised 
in great abundance ; flax and hemp are too much neglected. The 
Monongahela flour is celebrated in foreign markets for its superi- 
ority, and it generally sells for one dollar more per barrel in New 
Orleans than any other flour taken from this country to that mar- 
ket. The best and greatest quantity of rye whisky is made on this 
river. Peach and apple brandy, cider and cider-royal, are also 
made in great abundance. 

" The mean velocity of the Monongahela is about two miles an 
hour, and from three to four miles when very high. The floods 
seldom rise above the common banks ; when they do, it is noticed 
as remarkable, and much mischief is done by the sweeping waters, 
as was the case in May, 1807, when the floods rose at Brownsville 
about thirty-seven feet above the common surface of the river. It- 
is said that at least fifteen grist mills on and near the river, be- 
tween Pittsburg and Morgantown, were carried off and destroyed 
during this fresh, and with them about five thousand bushels of 
wheat, rye and corn. Several mills were seen floating past Pitts- 
burg in one day, out of which skiff-loads of wheat were taken by 
the citizens. 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 561 

" The navigation of the Monongahela is pretty good in its mid- 
dling state of water, for pirogues, keels, canoes and skiffs from 
Pittsburg to Brownsville, and from thence to Morgantown, a dis- 
tance of about one hundred miles above its mouth. Above this 
the navigation is frequently interrupted by rapids, but small craft 
may with difficulty go up as high as Clarksburg, about forty miles 
above Morgantown. The west branch of this river in high water 
is navigable for fifteen miles, and communicates with a southern 
branch of Little Kanawha, by a portage of eight or ten miles. 

" It is matter of much importance that an easy and short port- 
age could be had to connect the waters of the Potomac with those 
of the Monongahela. The head waters of Cheat and the Potomac 
come together within about thirty miles, to which portage, how- 
ever, the navigation of both rivers is difficult, but might be ren- 
dered much better by clearing them out. Goods are at this time 
frequently boated up from Alexandria, Georgetown, etc. , as high 
as Fort Cumberland, whence they are taken in wagons to Browns- 
ville, a distance of about eighty miles. By this route it costs 
about two dollars and fifty cents per hundred pounds, from Alex- 
andria to Brownsville, which is a saving of about two dollars and 
fifty cents in the one hundred pounds when brought all the way by 
land. 

a The trade carried on between the lakes and the Ohio, by way 
of the Allegheny and its branches, is at this time [1808] very con- 
siderable, and must in a few years become of great importance. 
There are about four thousand or five thousand barrels, and some- 
times more, of Onondago salt brought down to Pittsburg annually, 
worth per barrel nine dollars, making an average of about forty 
thousand dollars worth of traffic in this one article. Exclusive of 
the article of salt, there are an immense number of boards, shin- 
gles, and lumber of different kinds, floated down to Pittsburg and 
the country below on the Ohio. The quantity of boards and lum- 
ber that arrive yearly at Pittsburg, from the Allegheny, is sup- 
posed to be about three million feet, averaging about nine dollars 
per one thousand feet, amounting to twenty-seven thousand dol- 
lars; this, added to the amount of the salt, makes the handsome 
sum, in domestic trade, of sixty-seven thousand dollars. 
36 



562 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

" In return the keel boats ascend loaded with whisky, iron and 
castings, cider, apples, bacon, and many other articles of home pro- 
duction, and merchandise of foreign importation. As long as the 
water keeps good, that is, neither too high nor too low, boats are 
ascending and descending continually, making a trip up in about 
seventeen days and down in five days. 

" It has been suggested that goods might be brought by water 
from New York to Pittsburg, by way of the lakes and this river, 
for three cents a pound, which is one-half less than is generally 
given from Philadelphia to Pittsburg. By this northern route, 
which would certainly be a very long and tedious one, there would 
be a portage of fifteen miles from Albany, on the Hudson or North 
river, to Schenectady, on the Mohawk, thence up that river and 
through Wood creek into lake Ontario, thence up Niagara river to 
the falls, thence ten miles around Niagara falls, thence by water 
up Erie lake to the town of Erie, thence fifteen miles portage to 
Waterford or Le Bceuf, thence down French creek and Allegheny 
river, making in all a land carriage of forty miles from New York 
to Pittsburg, a distance by this route of not less eight hundred 
and fifty miles. 

"Among the natural advantages of the waters of the Alle- 
gheny, is Oil creek, which empties into that river about one hun- 
dred miles from Pittsburg. This creek issues from a spring on 
the top of which floats an oil similar to that called Barbadoes tar, 
and is found in such quantities that a person may gather several 
gallons a day. The oil is said to be very efficacious in rheumatic 
pains, rubbed on the p^rts affected. The troops sent to guard the 
western posts halted at this spring, collected some of the oil and 
bathed their joints with it; this gave them great relief from the 
rheumatic complaints with which they were afflicted. They also 
drank freely of the water, which operated on them as a gentle ca- 
thartic. 

" This oil is called Seneca oil in Pittsburg, probably from its 
first having been discovered and used by a nation of Indians of 
that name. 

" It is a wise plan in Nature to generally place an antidote 
where she has planted a poison. No climate, perhaps, is more sub- 
ject to pains of the rheumatic kind than ours, arising from the 



CHKONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 563 

sudden transitions of heat to cold, and vice versa ; and if it be 
true that the qualities of this oil are so effectual in the cures of 
diseases to which we are more or less subject, from the nature of 
our climate, it is equally true that Nature in her wisdom has not 
been unmindful of her general plan of providing a good for an 
evil in this particular instance. 

"The principal articles constituting loading for the boats 
trading on the Ohio and Mississippi are flour, whisky, apples, 
cider, peach and apple brandy, iron and castings, tin and copper 
wares, glass, cabinet work, Windsor chairs, mill-stones, grind- 
stones, nails, etc.; and the principal articles brought up the Ohio 
in keel boats are cotton, lead, furs and peltry, and sometimes hemp 
and tobacco from Kentucky. This traffic is carried on briskly at 
this time, and no doubt a few years will greatly increase it, and 
much to the advantage of the adventurers. 

" Exclusive of the trading boats, there are many loaded alto- 
gether with merchandise of foreign importation, destined to Ken- 
tucky, Tennessee, Ohio and the Territories. Many others are 
family boats, seeking places of settlement in these new countries, 
where their posterity may rest in safety, having plenty of all the 
necessaries, and many of the luxuries of life ; where their children's 
children may enjoy the rich and prolific productions of the land, 
without an over degree of toil and labor; where the climate is mild 
and the air salubrious ; where each man is a prince in his own 
kingdom, and may, without molestation, enjoy the frugal fare of 
his humble cot ; where the clashing and terrific sounds of war are 
not heard; where tyrants that desolate the earth dwell not; where 
man, simple man, is left to the guidance of his own will, subject 
only to laws of his own making, fraught with mildness, operating 
equally just on all, and by all protected and willingly obeyed." 

1808. In 1808, The Navigator, published at Pittsburg, made 
the following estimates of the number of dwelling-houses at the 
towns mentioned, viz.: At Pittsburg, 500; at Steubenville, 100; 
at Charlestown, now Wellsburg, 80; at Wheeling, 115; at Mari- 
etta, 90; at the site of Fort Harmar, 30; at Zanesville, Ohio, 60; 
at Maysville, Kentucky, 70; at Lexington, 400; at Cincinnati, 
400; at Chillicothe, 202; at Frankfort, Kentucky, 100; at Louis- 



564 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

ville, 150; at St. Louis, 200; at Natchez, 300; at New Orleans, 
1,200 to 1,400. 

1809. A statement exhibiting the gross annual amount of ex- 
penditures in relation to the military establishments, from the 4th 
of March, 1789, to the end of the year 1809 (excluding the naval 
expenditures) : 

From March 4, 1789, to December 31, 1791 . . . $ 632,804 03 

1792 1,103,038 47 

1793 1,132,443 91 

1794 2,589,097 59 

1795 2,422,385 81 

1796 1,246,327 82 

1797 1,002,299 04 

1798 1,939,692 39 

1799 2,405,669 17 

1800 . 2,517,409 99 

1801 1,600,944 08 

1802 1,179,148 25 

1803 822,055 85 

1804 875,923 93 

1805 . . 712,781 28 

1806 i 1,224,355 35 

1807 1,288,685 91 

1808 2,900,834 40 

1809 3,345,772 17 

Total $30,941,669 47 

Total naval expenditures during the same period . $23,645,979 08 

1809. Governor Harrison purchased from the Delawares, Mi- 
amis and Pottawattamies a large tract of country on both sides of 
the Wabash, and extending up the Wabash sixty miles above Yin- 
cennes. 

1809. April 8, first meeting held at Yincennes for forming an 
agricultural society, General W. H. Harrison presiding. 

1809. February 3, the act for dividing the Indiana Territory 
into separate governments was approved, to take effect from and 
after the 1st of March following. [Land Laws, p. 163.] 

1810. On the 4th of July, four canoes passed the Wea village 
of Terre Haute, with four or five men in each. They were the 
Prophet's followers, and were apparently on their way to Yin- 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. , 565 

cennes. A Wea chief hastened by land to Vincennes to warn 
General Harrison of the approach of these Indians. The gov- 
ernor, after waiting a short time for their arrival, dispatched a 
lieutenant of militia and eight men to see what had become of 
them. At a settlement about ten miles above Vincennes the lieu- 
tenant and his party learned that one canoe only had come down 
as far as that place, and that four Kickapoos had come in it, and 
had left their canoe and gone on a Sunday to the meeting of Shakers. 
The Indians returned on the evening of Sunday, and proceeded 
up the Wabash about half a mile, where they cut a hole in their 
canoe and left it, and in the night stole five horses. These Indians 
were all well armed, had no skins to trade with, nor did they 
profess to have any other business than to visit the Shakers. 
The people of the neighborhood from which the horses were taken 
were much alarmed, and collected together for their defense. 
They did not, however, pursue the Indians, as they were con- 
vinced that a large party were lying in ambush, ready to cut off 
the pursuers. It appeared to be part of the policy of the Prophet 
to send parties to steal horses, and if these parties were pursued, 
to kill the pursuers. This was one of the methods by which the 
Prophet expected to bring on a war. 

1810. Tecumseh arrived at Vincennes, August 12, accompa- 
nied by about seventy-five chiefs and warriors. 

1810. — Governor Harrison's Speech to the Prophet. 

Notwithstanding the improper language you have used towards 
me, I will endeavor to open your eyes to your true interests. Not- 
withstanding what bad white men have told you, I am not your 
personal enemy. You ought to know this from the manner in 
which I received and treated you on your last visit to this place, 
although I must say that I believe you are an enemy to the 
seventeen fires, and that you have used the greatest exertions with 
other tribes to lead them astray ; and in this you have in some 
measure succeeded, as I hear you are ready to raise the tomahawk 
against their father. Their father, notwithstanding his anger at 
their folly, is full of goodness, and is ready to receive into his 
arms those of his children who are willing to repent, acknowledge 
their fault, and ask for his forgiveness. 



566 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

There is yet but very little harm done but what may easily be 
repaired. The chain of friendship which unites the whites with 
the Indians may be renewed, and be as strong as ever. A great 
deal of that work depends on you. The destiny of those who are 
under your direction depends upon the choice which you will 
make of the two roads which are before you. One is large, open 
and pleasant, and leads to peace, security and happiness. The 
other, on the contrary, is narrow, crooked, and leads to misery 
and ruin. Do not deceive yourself. Do not believe that all the 
Indians united are able to resist the force of the seventeen fires 
even for a moon. 

I know your warriors are brave ; ours are not less so. But 
can a few brave warriors stand against the innumerable warriors 
of the seventeen fires? Our blue coats are more numerous than 
you can count, and our hunting-shirts are like the leaves of the 
forest, or the grains of sand on the Wabash. 

Do not think that the red coats can protect you; they are 
not able to protect themselves. They do not think of going to 
war with us. If they did, you would soon see our flags wave on 
all the forts of Canada. 

What reason have you to complain of the seventeen fires? 
Have they taken anything from you? Have they ever violated 
the treaties made with the red men? You say they purchased 
land from those who had no right to sell. Show the truth of this, 
and the land will instantly be restored. Show us the rightful own- 
ers of those lands which have been purchased. Let them present 
themselves. The ears of your father will be open to their com- 
plaints, and if lands have been purchased from those who did not 
own them they will be restored to the rightful owners. I have 
full power to arrange this business, but if you would rather carry 
your complaints before your great father, the president, you shall 
be indulged. I will instantly take the means to send you to the 
city where your father lives, with three chiefs which you will 
choose. Everything necessary shall be prepared for your journey 
and means taken to insure your safe return. 

[Translated from the French copy.] 

[Signed,] Wm. H. Haeesion. 



CHKONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 567 

1810. — Tecumseh's Speech to Governor Harrison at Vincennes, August 20. 

Brother : I wish you to listen to me well. I wish to reply to 
you more explicitly. As I think you do not clearly understand 
what I before said to you, I will explain it again. When we were 
first discovered, it was by the French, who told us that they would 
adopt us as their children, and gave us presents without asking 
anything in return but our considering them as our fathers. Since 
we have changed our fathers, we find it different. 

Brother, this is the manner in which the treaty was made by us 
with the French. They gave us many presents, and treated us 
well. They asked us for a small piece of country to live on, which 
they were not to leave, and continue to treat us as their children. 
After some time the British and French came to quarrel. The 
British were victorious. Yet the French promised to think of us 
as their children, and if they ever could serve us, to do it. " Now, 
my red children, I know I was obliged to abandon you in disa- 
greeable circumstances, but we have never ceased to look upon you, 
and if we could now be of any service to you we would still be 
your friends." 

The next father we found was the British, who told us they 
would now be our fathers, and treat us in the same manner as our 
former father, the French ; they would occupy the same they did, 
and not trouble us or ours, but would look on us as their children. 

Brother, we were very glad to hear the British promise to treat 
us as our father, the French, had done. They began to treat us in 
the same way. But at last they changed their good treatment, by 
raising the tomahawk against the Americans, and put it into our 
hands, by which Ave have suffered the loss of a great many of our 
young men. 

Brother, we now began to discover the treachery of the Brit- 
ish. They never troubled us for our lands, but they have done 
worse, by inducing us to go to war. The Hurons have particularly 
suffered during the war, and have at length become certain of it. 
They have told us that we must bury the British tomahawk. That 
if we did not, they (the British) would ere long ask us to take it up. 

You ought to know that after we agreed to bury the tomahawk 
at Greenville we found new fathers in the Americans, who told us 



568 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

they would treat us well ; uot like the British, who gave us but a 
small piece of pork every day. 

I want, now, to remind you of the promises of the white peo- 
ple. You recollect that the time the Delawares lived near the 
white people, and satisfied with the promises of friendship, and re- 
mained in security ; yet one of their towns was surprised, and the 
men, women and children murdered. 

The same promises were given to the Shawanees ; flags were 
given to them, and they were told by the Americans that they were 
the children of the Americans ; these flags will be a security to you ; 
if the white people intend to do you harm, hold up your flags, and 
no harm will be done you. This was at length practiced, and the 
consequence was that the persons bearing flags were murdered, 
with others, in their village. 

Now, my brother, after this conduct, can you blame me for 
placing little confidence in the promises of our fathers, the Ameri- 



cans 



9 



Brother, since the peace was made you have killed some of the 
Shawanees, Winnebagos, Delawares and Miamis, and you have 
taken our lands from us, and I do not see how we can remain at 
peace with you if you continue to do so. You have given goods 
to the Kickapoos for the sale of their lands to you, which has been 
the cause of many deaths among them. You have promised us 
assistance, but I do not see that you have given us any. 

You try to force the red people to do some injury. It is you 
that are pushing them on to do mischief. You endeavor to make 
distinctions. You wish to prevent the Indians to do as we wish 
them — to unite, and let them consider their land as the common 
property of the whole. You take tribes aside, and advise them 
not to come into the measure ; and until our design is accomplished, 
we do not wish to accept of your invitation to go and visit the 
president. 

The reason I tell you this is : You want, by your distinctions 
of Indian tribes, in allotting to each a particular tract of land, to 
make them to war with each other. You never see an Indian come 
and endeavor to make the white people do so. You are continually 
driving the red people, when at last you will drive them into the 
great lake, when they can't either stand or work. 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 569 

Brother, you ought to know what you are doing with the In- 
dians. Perhaps it is by direction of the president to make these 
distinctions. It is a very bad thing, and we do not like it. Since 
my residence at Tippecanoe we have endeavored to level all dis- 
tinctions; to destroy village chiefs, by whom all mischief is done. 
It is they who sell our lands to the Americans. Our object is to 
let all our affairs be transacted by warriors. 

Brother, this land that was sold, and the goods that were given 
for it, was only done by a few. The treaty was afterwards brought 
here, and the Weas were induced to give their consent, because of 
their small numbers. The treaty at Fort Wayne was made through 
the threats of Winemac, but in future we are prepared to punish 
those chiefs who may come forward to propose to sell the lands. 
If you continue to purchase of them, it will produce war among 
<?he different tribes ; and at last, I do not know what will be the 
consequences to the white people. 

Brother, I was glad to hear your speech. You said that if we 
could show that the land was sold by people that had no right to 
sell, you would restore it. Those that did sell it did not own it. 
It was me. Those tribes set up a claim, but the tribes with me 
will not agree to their claim. If the land is not restored to us, 
you will soon see when we return to our homes how it will be set- 
tled. We shall have a great council, at which all the tribes shall 
be present, when we shall show to those who sold that they had no 
right to the claim they set up, and we will see what will be done 
with those chiefs that did sell the land to you. I am not alone in 
this determination. It is the determination of all the warriors and 
red people that listen to me. 

I now wish you to listen to me. If you do not, it will appear 
as if you wished me to kill all the chiefs who sold the land. I tell 
you so because I am authorized by all the tribes to do so. I am 
at the head of them all. I am a warrior, and all the warriors will 
meet together in two or three moons from this. Then I will call 
for those chiefs who sold you the land, and shall know what to do 
with them. If you do not restore the land, you will have a hand 
in killing them. 

Brother, do not believe that I came here to get presents from 
you. If you offer us any we will not take it. By taking goods 



570 CHKONOLOGICAL KECOKDS, 

from you you will hereafter say that with them you purchased 
another piece of land from us. If we want anything we are able 
to buy it from your traders. Since the land was sold to you no 
traders come among us. I now wish you would clear all the roads, 
and let the traders come among us. Then perhaps some of our 
young men will occasionally call upon you to get their guns re- 
paired. This is all the assistance we ask of you. 

Brother, I should now be very glad to know immediately 
what is your determination about the land ; also of the traders I 
have mentioned. 

Brother, it has been the object of both myself and brother to 
prevent the land being sold. Should you not return the land, it 
will occasion us to call a great council that will meet at the Huron 
village, where the council fire has already been lighted, at which 
those who sold the land will be called, and shall suffer for their 
conduct. 

Brother, I wish you would take pity on the red people, and 
do what I have requested. If you will not give up the land, and 
do cross the boundary of your present settlement, it will be very 
hard and produce great troubles among us. How can we have 
confidence in the white people? When Jesus Christ came upon 
the earth you killed him and nailed him upon a cross. You 
thought he was dead, but you were mistaken. You have Shakers 
among you, and you laugh and make light of their worship. 

Everything I have said to you is the truth. The Great Spirit 
has inspired me, and I speak nothing but the truth to you. In 
two moons we shall assemble at the Huron village (addressing 
himself to the Weas and Pottawattomies) where the great belts of 
all the tribes are kept, and there settle our differences. 

Brother: Now, brother, I hope you will confess that you 
ought not to have listened to those bad birds who bring you bad 
news. I have declared myself freely to you, and if you want any 
explanation from our town, send a man who can speak to us. 

If you think proper to give us any presents, and we can be 
convinced that they are given through friendship alone, we will 
accept them. As we intend to hold our council near the Huron 
village, that is near the British, we may probably make them a 
visit. Should they offer us any presents of goods we will not take 



CHEONOLOGICAL KECOKDS. 571 

them ; but should they offer us powder and the tomahawk, we will 
take the powder and refuse the tomahawk. 

I wish you, brother, to consider everything I have said as true, 
and that it is the sentiment of all the red people that listen to me. 

By your giving goods to the Kickapoos you killed many. They 
were seized with the small-pox, of which many died. 

The governor (Harrison) began to answer Tecumseh, and had 
proceeded for fifteen or twenty minutes; he was explaining the 
justice used by the United States towards the Indians, and what 
he said was explained to the Shawanees, but before it was ex- 
plained to the Pottawattomies and Miamis, Tecumseh rose up, and 
a number of his young men, with their war clubs, tomahawks and 
spears. He spoke for some time with great vehemence and anger, 
which, when interpreted, appeared to be a contradiction of what 
the governor had said, asserting that the governor had stated what 
was not true. 

The governor told him that, since he had behaved so badly, he 
would put out the council fire and not sit with him again. 

1810. August 21. After some explanation, offered as an apol- 
ogy, by Tecumseh, the council this day met again, when Tecum- 
seh addressed the governor as follows : 

Brother : There are many white people among you who are 
not true Americans. They are endeavoring to fill the minds of 
the Indians with evil towards the United States, of which I shall 
now inform you The person that informed me was a man of 
sense. 

Brother, he said to us that when you first began to bring 
about the last treaty, you observed the greatest secrecy; after 
which you went to Fort Wayne, and there made the treaty equally 
secret, declaring that you did not think it necessary to call upon 
us; but that you were determined to confine us to a small piece of 
land; and that you would bring all the tribes who listened to me 
to abandon myself and the Prophet, and then you would know 
what to do with us. 

Brother, this person came to our village shortly after the 
treaty at Fort Wayne, and said to us: " Sallo-wat-chi-ka (the 
Prophet) and you, Tecumseh, you may believe what I say to you. 



572 CHKONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

It is not I alone who speaks to you ; I am the agent of a large 
party of white people who are your friends and will support you. 
They sent me here to inform you of everything that that man, the 
governor at Vincennes, is doing against you. But you must ob- 
serve great secrecy, and by no means inform him of us, or I shall 
be hung. I was at the treaty of Fort Wayne, and I heard the 
governor say that the Prophet was a bad man, and that he would 
prevent traders from trading at his village ; or if they did so, they 
should sell their goods so high that the Indians could not purchase 
them, and consequently suffer." 

Brother, this man further represented to us that you were yet 
to remain in office two years, and would be succeeded by a good 
man who was a friend to the Indians. That you would offer us 
goods (annuities), but by no means to accept them. That, in order 
to induce us to take them, you would offer us horses, with saddles 
and bridles plated with silver. That all the goods and even the 
provisions that you give to the Indians is with the intention to 
cheat them out of their lands. That it was the intention of the 
United States to push and oppress the Shawanees, and to push 
their settlements so near to them and oblige them to use the ax 
instead of the rifle ; therefore recommended us to take nothing 
from you. 

Brother, another American told us lately at our village that you 
were about to assemble the Indians at Vincennes, for the purpose 
of making proposals for more land ; that you were placed here by 
the government to buy land when it was offered to you, but not to 
use persuasions and threats to obtain it. 

Brother, this man told me that I must go to Vincennes and 
make my objecticns, and not be afraid to speak very loud to you ; 
that when you wanted land you were very smooth to the Indians, 
but at length became very boisterous. 

Brother, after my hearing this so often, I could not help think- 
ing otherwise than that you wished to sow discord amongst the 
Indians. I wish you, my brother, to let alone those distinctions 
you have always been endeavoring to establish among the Indians. 
It is doing them great injuries, by exciting jealousies among them. 
I am alone the acknowledged head of all the Indians. 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 573 

Here the governor requested Tecumseh to state explicitly 
whether the surveyors who might be sent to survey the land would 
be interrupted by the Indians, and if the Kickapoos would receive 
their annuities that were here (at Vincennes), upon which Tecum- 
seh replied: 

Brother : When you speak of annuities to me, I look at the 
land, and pity the women and children. I am authorized to say 
that they will not receive them. 

Brother, we want to save that piece of land. We do not wish 
you to take it. It is small enough for our purpose. If you do 
take it, you must blame yourself as the cause of trouble between 
us and the tribes who sold it to you. I want the present boundary 
line to continue. Should you cross it, I assure you it will be pro- 
ductive of bad consequences. 

1810. In October, the governor sent Mr. McDonald to run 
the boundary line of the " New Purchase." 

1810. The president and directors of the Vincennes Library 
were authorized to raise $1,000 by lottery. [Act of 1800.] 

1810. The territorial legislature petitioned Congress for per- 
mission to locate a certain quantity of the public lands, lying on 
the main fork of White river, for a permanent seat of government. 
Petition laid before Congress by Mr. Jennings, January 7, 1811. 

1811. The first steamboat, called the New Orleans, left Pitts- 
burg, in October, for Louisville, and was owned by Robert Ful- 
ton and Robert Livingston. 

1811. An earthquake occurred in South Carolina and in the 
valley of the Mississippi. Between the mouths of the Ohio and 
St. Francis rivers the great valley was convulsed so as to create 
lakes and islands. Yawning chasms were produced in the ground, 
from which heavy columns of sand, water and coal were projected 
to the height of fifty and sixty feet. New Madrid, on the Missis- 
sippi river, suffered severely, the bluff bank upon which the town 
was situated having been lowered from fifteen to twenty feet, much 
of which the river has since washed away. The convulsion and 



574 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

upheaval commenced about the 17th of December and continued 
to January. 

1811. General Harrison defeated the Indians at Tippecanoe. 
He was then governor of the Indiana territory, and received in- 
structions to proceed against them with a military force, the militia 
of the territory co-operating with the regulars, under the command 
of Colonel Boyd. At Tippecanoe he consulted with a number of 
the Prophet's messengers, on the 7th of November, and a delay of 
hostilities was negotiated until the next day, when another inter- 
view was proposed to be held between him and other of his chiefs. 
The vigilance of General Harrison was demonstrated, by prepar- 
ing against ruses and surprises, his men being drawn up in order of 
battle and resting upon their arms. Faithless to the terms of the 
treaty, the savages made an assault just before the dawn, but only 
to be repulsed and terribly defeated. 

1812. Fort Clark erected on the right bank of the Illinois 
river, by Brigadier General Howard. 

1812. June 18, Congress passed an act declaring war against 
Great Britain. In the house the vote stood 79 yeas, 49 nays ; in 
the senate 19 yeas, 13 nays. 

1812. August 16, Fort Detroit was surrendered by Brigadier 
General William Hull to Major General Isaac Brock. 

1812. August 13, the British sloop Alert was captured by the 
Hornet, under the command of Captain D. Porter. 

1812. August 19, the British ship Guerriere was captured by 
the Constitution, commanded by Captain Isaac Hull. 

1812. On the night of September 4, Fort Harrison, on the 
Wabash, defended by Captain Zach. Taylor, was attacked by the 
Indians. 

1812. September 5, an assault was made by the Indians on 
Fort Madison, defended by Lieutenant T. Hamilton. 

1812. October 9, the British vessels Caledonia and Detroit 
were captured by Lieutenant Jesse D. Elliot, near Black Rock. 

1812. Columbus, Ohio, laid out in the spring of 1812, the 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 575 

first sale of lots taking place June 18, of that year. Proprietors' 
names, Lyne Starling, James Johnson, John Kerr and Alexander 
McLaughlin. 

1812. John Henry's secret mission from the British govern- 
ment to undermine the American Union exposed February 25. 
[World's Progress.] 

1812. October 12, battle of Queenstown. 

1812. August 15, massacre by Indians, near Chicago. 

1812. October 25, the British ship Macedonian was captured 
by Commodore Decatur. 

1812. Massacre of families at Pigeon Roost, Indiana territory. 

1812. In a letter written at New York, on the 16th of April, 
1812, Robert Fulton said: "My Paragon (a steamboat) beats ev- 
erything on the globe ; for, mad as you and I are, we can not tell 
what is in the moon. This day she came in from Albany, one 
hundred and sixty miles, in twenty-six hours, wind ahead." 

1813. May 1, Proctor, with a force of one thousand regulars 
and militia and one thousand two hundred Indians, laid siege to 
Fort Meigs. On the 9th of May, at 10 o'clock A. m., the siege was 
raised. 

1813. On the 5th of October occurred the memorable battle 
of the Thames, in which Tecumseh was slain. He was a chief of 
the Shawanee tribe, born near Chillicothe, Ohio, about 1770. At 
the time of his death he was a brigadier general in the British ser- 
vice. 

1813. An act to remove the seat of government from the 
town of Vincennes to the town of Corydon, in the county of Har- 
rison, approved March 11, by J. Gibson. "Be it enacted," etc., 
"that from and after the 1st day of May next [1813] the seat of 
government of the Indiana territory shall be and the same is 
hereby fixed and established in the town of Corydon, in the county 
of Harrison, there, to remain until altered by law." [Original 
Document*] 



576 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

1813. Territorial legislature of Indiana ordered to meet at 
Vincennes, February 15, by General John Gibson, acting governor. 

1813. President Madison nominated Thomas Posey, a senator 
from Louisiana, February 27, to be governor of the Indiana ter- 
ritory, and on the 3d of March, 1813, the nomination was con- 
firmed by the senate. [Official Document.] 

1814. The Creek war was terminated March 27th by the de- 
cisive victory won by General Jackson at Tohopeka, who, at the 
head of 2,000 troops, captured the position of the enemy, and well 
nigh annihilated them. 

1814. July 25th, the battle of Lundy's Lane was fought. The 
engagement was persistent and indecisive, the Americans being led 
by General Brown, and those of the British by General Drum- 
mond. 

1814. Washington City, D. C, was founded 1790 by George 
Washington, first president of the United States, and became the 
seat of government in 1800. The British general, Ross, upon his 
entrance into the city, destroyed the capitol by fire, August 24. 
Not only the capitol and the president's house were consumed by 
the conflagration, but the troops did not even spare the national 
library. 

1814. At the convention which began at Hartford, Conn., on 
the 15th of December, 1814, and adjourned sine die on the 5th of 
January, 1815, the following resolutions were passed: 

First. Resolved, That it be, and hereby is, recommended to 
the legislatures of the several states represented in this convention, 
to adopt all such measures as may be necessary effectually to pro- 
tect the citizens of said states from the operation and effects of all 
acts which have been or may be passed by the Congress of the 
United States, which shall contain provisions subjecting the militia 
or other citizens to forcible drafts, conscriptions or impressments, 
not authorized by the constitution of the United States. 

Second. Resolved, That it be, and hereby is, recommended to 
the said legislatures to authorize an immediate and earnest applica- 
tion to be made to the government of the United States, request- 
ing their consent to some arrangement whereby the said states may, 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 577 

separately or in concert, be empowered to assume upon themselves 
the defense of their territory against the enemy; and a reasonable 
portion of the taxes collected within said states may be paid into 
the respective treasuries thereof, and appropriated to the payment 
of the balance due said states, and to the future defense of the 
same; the amount so paid into the said treasuries to be credited, 
and the disbursements made as aforesaid to be charged to the 
United States. 

Third. Resolved, That it be, and hereby is, recommended to 
the legislatures of the aforesaid states to pass laws (where it has 
not already been done) authorizing the governors or commanders- 
in-chief of their militia to make detachments from the same, or to 
form voluntary corps, as shall be most convenient and conformable 
to their constitution, and to cause the same to be well armed, 
equipped and disciplined, and held in readiness for service ; and, 
upon the request of the governor of either of the other states, to 
employ the whole of such detachment or corps, as well as the regu- 
lar forces of the state, or such part thereof as may be required and 
can be spared consistently with the safety of the state, in assisting 
the state making such request to repel any invasion thereof which 
shall be made or attempted by the public enemy. 

Fourth. Resolved, That the following amendments of the con- 
stitution of the United States recommended to the states repre- 
sented as aforesaid, to be proposed by them for adoption by the 
state legislature, and in such cases as may be deemed expedient by 
a convention chosen by the people of each state. And it is further 
recommended that the said states shall persevere in their efforts to 
obtain such amendments until the same shall be effected : 

1. Representatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned 
among the several states which may be included within this Union, 
according to their respective numbers of free persons, including 
those bound to serve for a term of years, and excluding Indians 
not taxed, and all other persons. 

2. No new state shall be admitted into the Union by Con- 
gress, in virtue of the power granted by the constitution, without 
the concurrence of two-thirds of both houses. 

3. Congress shall not have power to lay any embargo on the 
37 



578 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

ships or vessels of the citizens of the United States, in the ports or 
harbors thereof, for more than sixty days. 

4. Congress shall not have power, without the concurrence 
of two-thirds of both houses, to interdict the commercial inter- 
course between the United States and any foreign nation, or the de- 
pendencies thereof. 

5. Congress shall not make or declare war, or authorize acts of 
hostility against any foreign nation without the concurrence of two- 
thirds of both houses, except such acts of hostility be in defense of 
the territories of the United States when actually invaded. 

6. No person who shall hereafter be naturalized shall be elig- 
ible as a member of the senate or house of representatives of the 
United States, nor capable of holding any civil office under the au- 
thority of the United States. 

7. The same person shall not be elected president of the 
United States a second time, nor shall the president be elected 
from the same state two terms in succession. 

Fifth. Resolved, That if the application of these states, to the 
government of the United States, recommended in a foregoing reso- 
lution, should be unsuccessful, and peace should not be concluded, 
and the defense of these states should be neglected, as it has been 
since the commencement of the war, it will, in the opinion of this 
convention, be expedient for the legislatures of the several states 
to appoint delegates to another convention, to meet at Boston, in 
the state of Massachusetts, on the third Thursday of June next, 
with such powers and instructions as the exigency of a crisis so 
momentous may require. 

Sixth. Resolved, That the Hon. George Cabot, the Hon. 
Chauncey Goodrich, and the Hon. Daniel Lyman, or any two of 
them, be authorized to call another meeting of this convention, to 
be holden in Boston, at any time before new delegates shall be 
chosen, as recommended in the above resolution, if in their judg- 
ment the situation of the country shall urgently require it. 

MEMBERS OF THE HARTFORD CONVENTION. 

FROM MASSACHUSETTS. 

George Cabot, descendant of one of the Cabots, senator in Congress soon after the 
adoption of the constitution, native of Massachusetts. 

Nathan Dane, member of Congress, author of Ordinance of 1787, lawyer. 



CHKONOLOGICAL KECOKDS. 579 

William Prescott, son of Colonel Prescott, who commanded at the battle of 
Bunker Hill, lawyer. 

Harrison Gray Otis, lawyer, born at Boston. 

Timothy Bigelow, lawyer. 

Joshua Thomas, judge of probate, in the county of Plymouth. 

Samuel Sumner Wilde, lawyer, one of the judges of the supreme court of Mas- 
sachusetts. 

Joseph Lyman, lawyer. 

Stephen Longfellow, Jr., lawyer. 

Daniel Waldo, merchant of Worcester, and once member of state senate. 

Hodijah Baylies, an officer of the revolutionary army. 

George Bliss, lawyer. 

FROM CONNECTICUT. 

Chauncey Goodrich, lawyer, member of legislature of Connecticut, United 
States senate, and lieutenant governor. 

John Treadwell, lawyer, member of legislature, lieutenant governor, judge of 
court of common pleas. 

James Hillhouse, lawyer, representative and senator in Congress. 

Zephaniah Swift, lawyer, member of legislature, representative in Congress, 
judge of supreme court of state. 

Nathaniel Smith, lawyer, representative in Congress, judge of supreme court of 
state. 

Calvin Goddard, lawyer, member of Congress, judge. 

Koger Minot Sherman, lawyer, member of legislature. 

FROM RHODE ISLAND. 

Daniel Lyman, lawyer, revolutionary soldier, justice of supreme court of state. 
Samuel Ward, son of Governor Ward, of Khode Island, soldier of the revolu- 
tion. 

Edward Manton. 

Benjamin Hazard, lawyer, member of legislature. 

FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE. 

Benjamin West, lawyer. 
Mills Olcott, lawyer. 

FROM VERMONT. 

William Hall, Jr., merchant, member of legislature. 

George Cabot was unanimously chosen president of the conven- 
tion, and Theodore Dwight, of Hartford, was unanimously chosen 
secretary. 

The convention was opened each morning by prayer. 

1814. The treaty of peace between Great Britain and the 
United States was signed at Ghent, an old city of Belgium, De- 



580 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS, 

cember 24. On the part of the latter it was signed by J. Q. Ad- 
ams, Albert Gallatin and Henry Clay. 

1815. January 8, battle of New Orleans fought. "On the 
7th the British commanders were vigorously preparing for attack. 
* * * Early on the morning of the 8th the American army 
was assailed by a shower of bullets and congreve rockets. The 
British army, under Generals Gibbs and Kean, the whole com- 
manded by Sir Edward Packenham, had marched in two divisions 
to storm the American entrenchments. The batteries of General 
Jackson opened a brisk fire upon them, but the British soldiers 
advanced firmly, carrying fascines and scaling ladders. The keen 
and practiced eyes of the western marksmen were, as they ad- 
vanced, selecting their victims. When the enemy were within 
reach of their rifles the advance line fired and each brought down 
his man. Those behind handed a second loaded rifle as soon as 
the first was discharged. The plain was soon strewed with the 
dead, the brave foe faltered and retreated in confusion. Sir Ed- 
ward appeared among his men, encouraging them to renew the as- 
sault, when two balls struck him and he fell mortally wounded. 
A second time the British columns advanced, and a second time 
retreated before the deadly fire of the Americans. Again their 
thinned ranks were closed, and they moved forward with desperate 
resolution. Generals Kean and Gibbs were now both wounded 
and carried from the field, and their troops fell back. At this 
time General Lambert, who commanded the reserve, attempted to 
bring them up, but the day was irretrievably lost. [Emma Wil- 
lard's History of the United States, pp. 355-6.] 

1815. A declaration of war was made against Algiers on the 
2d of March. 

1815. — A New Method of Reducing Hostile Indians. 

The United States Indian agent at Fort Wayne, Indiaua [B. 
F. S.], in a letter dated October 1, 1815, and addressed to Hon. 
William H. Crawford, secretary of war, said : 

" It is much cheaper reducing them [the Indians] by meat and 
bread than by the force of arms ; and from the observations I have 
had the opportunity of making, that three or four months full 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 581 

feeding on meat and bread, even without ardent spirits, will bring 
on disease, and, in six or eight months, great mortality. And 
would it be considered a proper mode of warfare? I believe 
more Indians might be killed with the expense of one hundred 
thousand dollars in this way than one million dollars expended in 
the support of armies to go against them." [Vide American S. P. 
Indian Affairs, ii, 34.] 

A distinguished writer upon the subject of the right of the 
stronger race to seize, occupy and possess the public domain, says : 

"As for the usurpation of territory from the aborigines by the 
United States, he must be a feeble moralist who regards that as an 
evil. The same principle upon which that usurpation is con- 
demned would lead to the nonsensical opinion of the Brahmins, 
that agriculture is an unrighteous employment, because worms 
must sometimes be cut by the plowshare and the spade. It is the 
order of nature that beasts should give place to man, and among 
men the savage to the civilized. And nowhere has this order been 
carried into effect with so little violence as in North America." 

" We shall find that the first voice publicly raised in America 
to dissolve all connection with Great Britain came, not from the 
Puritans of New England, or the Dutch of New York, or the 
planters of Virginia, but from the Scotch-Irish Presbyterians." 
[Bancroft, v. 77.] 

1815. Commodore Decatur sailed from New York May 20, 
with three frigates, two sloops and four schooners, to engage the 
Barbary powers, and on June 28 he arrived off Algiers, seized 
two corsairs, and soon induced a respectful recognition of the 
American flag by the piratical states. 

1815. In a letter to Thomas Jefferson, dated August 24, 1815, 
John Adams said that the Congress of 1774 resembled in some re- 
spects the council of Nice. " It assembled the priests from the 
east and the west, the north and the south, who compared notes, 
engaged in discussions and debates, and formed results by one vote 
and by two votes, which went out to the world as unanimous." 
[Adams 7 Works, x. 173.] 



582 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

1815. A letter published before the year 1815, by Oliver 
Evans, of Pennsylvania, contains the following passages : " The 
time will come when people will travel in stages moved by steam en- 
gines at fifteen to twenty miles an hour. * * * A carriage 
will leave Washington in the morning, breakfast at Baltimore, dine 
at Philadelphia, and sup at New York on the same day. * * * 
Posterity will not be able to discover," says Mr. Evans, " why the 
legislature or Congress did not grant the inventor such protection 
as might have enabled him to put in operation these great im- 
provements sooner, he having asked neither money nor monopoly 
of any existing thing." 

Although Oliver Evans, hopefully gazing into the future far 
beyond the range of the mental vision of the public men who lived 
in his days, made this remarkable prediction, yet it is probable that 
he did not behold, even dimly, the wonderful power of steam, as it 
now appears, on the land and on the sea, in trade, in commerce, in 
manufactures and in the arts. 

1816. Terre Haute surveyed into lots at the instance of Mr. 
Bullitt, of Kentucky, and some other gentlemen. [Schoolcraft.] 

1816. The Weas and Kickapoos, at a council held at Fort 
Harrison, in the latter part of May and early part of June, 1816, 
ratified the terms of peace acknowledged in the treaty of Green- 
ville, and relinquished their claims to certain tracts of lands on 
the borders of the Wabash and Vermillion rivers. [Niles.] 

1817. March 3, the eastern part of the Mississippi territory 
was made a separate territory and called Alabama. 

1817. First steamboat at St. Louis. 

1817. During this year occurred the Seminole war, which was 
speedily extinguished by a large force under Jackson. 

1817. A barge arrived at Lawrenceburg, Indiana, in ninety- 
seven days from New Orleans. 

1817. John Adams, in a letter bearing date Quincy, January 
3, 1817, and written to Hezekiah Niles, editor of Niles 7 Register, 
said: 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 583 

"In plain English, and in a few words, Mr. Niles, I consider 
the true history of the American revolution and of the establish- 
ment of our present constitution as lost forever, and nothing but 
misrepresentation or partial accounts of it ever will be recovered." 

He again says : 

" Of all the speeches made in Congress, from 1774 to 1777, in- 
clusive of both years, not one sentence remains, except a few peri- 
ods of Dr. Witherspoon, printed in his works." 

And again : 

" It is a serious question whether I ought to bury my papers or 
burn them. You would not publish them, and if you should 
they would ruin the sale of your Register." 

1818. General Arthur St. Clair died in Westmoreland county, 
Pennsylvania, August 30. [St. Clair papers.] 

1818. General George R. Clark died in Jefferson county, 
Kentucky. 

1818. Solomon Juneau, the first white settler in Milwaukie, a 
Canadian, who built a log cabin among the natives. [Wisconsin 
Historical Society.] 

1819. The steamship known as the Savannah, three hundred 
and fifty tons, commanded by Captain Rogers, made the passage 
from ~New York to Liverpool, twice crossing the ocean. Asia as 
well as Europe was visited, the captain of the vessel receiving 
presents from the King of Sweden, the Sultan of Turkey and the 
Czar of Russia. 

1819. First steamboat on the Missouri river. 

1819. First steamboat on Lake Erie. 

1819. Military posts established at Council Bluffs. 

1819. Commodore Perry died August 23, of yellow fever, at 
Port Spain. He is popularly known as " the hero of Lake Erie." 

1820. Daniel Boone died September 26. It was not until 
the middle of the eighteenth century that the white man penetrated 
the wilds of Kentucky. The savages of the north and south held 



584 CHKONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

indisputable sway over its vast domain, the entire region being one 
great battle-field and hunting-ground. Its earliest explorers were 
Boone and Knox, the former, however, being recognized as " the 
first white man who made a permanent settlement within the limits 
of the present state of Kentucky."* 

He was born February 11, 1735, in Bucks county, Pennsyl- 
vania, on the river Delaware, and descended from an English fam- 
ily whose home was in sweet Devonshire, whose rich slopes, sunny 
gardens and bright landscapes are the pride of the mother-land. 
When about the age of eighteen his father removed to North Car- 
olina, taking his large family with him, and passing through Mary- 
land and Virginia on their way thither. On his arrival he located 
near what was called the Yadkin river, where young Boone re- 
mained with him until his accession to sturdy manhood. By this 
time he had required considerable proficiency in marksmanship, 
and had become inhabited by a mania for the forest and stream. 
He had also acquired methods of self-reliance. He was, emphat- 
ically, a votary of the woods, and his cabin was pitched in their 
darkest and deepest recesses. The dense wilderness was his home, 
and his spirit chafed under all limitations and circumscriptions of 
boundary lines. 

His society consisted in the utmost freedom from intrusion; for 
he was enamored of soltitude and linked to loneliness. The peril- 
ous and adventurous life which he so early chose, educated him for 
the wonderful career mapped out for him. On the shores of the 
Yadkin he had already distinguished himself, but as the tide of 
population set in there, he prepared for another departure into 
newer and unexplored regions. Life was too tame, and possessed to 
much monotony and sameness for him in even partially settled 
communities. His wild, uncurbed soul ached and sighed for the 
bluff and gorge and the unmeasured areas of the pathless woods. 
Passing through a portion of the present state of .Tennessee, 
and crossing the Cumberland mountains, his eyes rested, for the 
first time, on the country known as Kentucky. Indians hovered 
about and haunted him on either side. Before the lapse of many 
moons he was captured by them, December 22, 1769, but the wily 

*Collins' Historical Sketches of Kentucky. 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 585 

forest- monarch soon made his escape. After the expiration of 
about seven months, in March, 1771, and having encountered in- 
credible perils, he concluded to return to North Carolina to see his 
family. Here he remained for some months making disposition 
of his effects, and consummating arrangements to remove, with his 
family, to his wilderness home. 

September 25, 1771, he bade adieu to his friends and commenced 
his journey, soon, however, to be reinforced by five other families 
and a body of armed men to the number of thirty or forty, who 
were to accompany him. But a catastrophe soon transpired which 
hung a pall of gloom over the gallant little band. A considerable 
number of Indians assaulted them, near the Cumberland moun- 
tains, which were repulsed, yet not without grievous loss to Boone 
and his men, as six of his party were killed, including his oldest 
son, a lad of seventeen summers. 

This pre-libation of death operated as a check to the adven- 
turous phalanx. How did they know but that myriads of red- 
skins prowled on either side, in savage covenant, to destroy them ? 
It was, therefore, resolved to retreat to Clinch river, Virginia, a 
distance of probably forty miles, where there was something of a 
settlement, and where they tarried until 1774. Lord Dunmore, of 
Virginia, now commissioned him to pilot a gang of surveyors 
through an unbroken depth of forest, a distance of eight hundred 
miles, to the falls of the Ohio river, the present site of Louisville. 
Moreover, at this juncture, he was of vital benefit to those who 
had distinguished themselves in the English service in the old 
French war, to whom grants of lands were issued, and into whose 
possession Lord Dunmore was about to place them. His descrip- 
tion of these lands was unvarnished, plain and attractive, as he 
knew where they were located, and could tell how to proceed to 
get possession of them. 

The choice of the government, in selecting Boone as one of its 
pioneers, was well-timed and wise, as no better selection could have 
been made. His courage and ability having won the confidence of 
Lord Dunmore, his excellency promoted him to a mili'tary position, 
having three distinct garrisons under his control. Says Collins : 
" At about the same period, he also, at the solicitation of several 
gentlemen of North Carolina, attended a treaty with the Chero- 



586 CHKONOLOGICAL EECOKDS. 

kees, known as the treaty of Wataga, for the purchase of the lands 
south of the Kentucky river. It was in connection with this land 
purchase, and under the auspices of Colonel Richard Henderson, 
that Boone's second expedition to Kentucky was made. His busi- 
ness was to mark out a road for the pack-horses and wagons of 
Henderson's party. Leaving his family on Clinch river, he set out 
upon this hazardous undertaking, at the head of a few men, in the 
early part of the year 1775, and arrived, without any adventure 
worthy of note, on the 22d of March, in the same year, at a point 
within fifteen miles of the spot where Boonesborough was after- 
wards built. Here they were attacked by Indians, and it was not 
until after a severe contest, and loss on the part of the whites of 
four men in killed and wounded, that they were repulsed. * * * 
On the 1st of April they reached the southern bank of the Ken- 
tucky river, and began to build a fort, afterwards known as Boones- 
borough." 

The battles and sieges in which, for a time, he participated, are 
startling and blood-curdling in their chilling revelation. The 
preservation of his life, on several occasions, by Simon Kenton, 
was never forgotten by the great pioneer. 

His capture, with a small portion of his men, in January, 1778, 
at Blue Licks, whither they had gone to boil and evaporate salt, 
was a sad visitation upon the settlements and garrison. His captors, 
it may be remarked, treated him with leniency and kindness, for 
none than the Indians better knew that he was neither a cruel nor 
blood-thirsty man. With other prisoners, Boone was removed to 
Chillicothe (in Ohio now), at that time a quite populous Indian 
village. He was next transferred to the British fort at Detroit, 
where he was the recipient of much personal civility from General 
Hamilton, the commandant, and his subordinate officers. The gen- 
eral proposed to the Indians five hundred dollars for his ransom, but 
they abruptly refused it. At Detroit he remained for about a 
month, when his captors returned with him to the Indian settle- 
ments at Chillicothe. He now began planning for his escape, as 
he had succeeded admirably in winning the confidence of his cap- 
tors, which he ultimately succeeded in achieving June 16, 1778, 
reaching the garrison, to the consternation of its inmates and his 
former comrades, with whom he had to apply the arts of argument 



CHBONOLOGICAL EECOKDS. 587 

to establish his identity. The Indians, indignant at the escape of 
their famous prisoner, decreed that the only policy to adopt in con- 
quering the white men was annihilation. They at once deter- 
mined to pack and mass all their forces and assault the force at 
Boonesborough. 

But the crafty old frontiersman had been a prisoner too long in 
their camp not to know something of their designs. He strength- 
ened the fort at all points, and prepared for a stiff and stout de- 
fense. Siege was laid to it by the enemy. The force of Indians 
comprising the attack was commanded by Canadian officers, inge- 
nious in the modes and ways of warfare. The British flag was 
floated and the garrison summoned to surrender. Boone desired a 
delay of two days in which to prepare his answer, which was con- 
ceded, at the termination of which he declined to comply with the 
terms of the demand. A proposition was then tendered to form a 
treaty, to which Boone assented, but which proved to be but a ruse 
or strategem of the foe to seize him and the members of the fort who 
were with him. In this they were foiled, when the fort was at- 
tacked, and a destructive fire returned from the garrison. The 
assaults and the siege were alike unsuccessful, the siege lasting for 
thirteen days. 

He again, in the autumn of this year, returned to North Caro- 
lina for his wife and family, who believed him to be dead, and in 
1780 returned with them to Kentucky. In 1782 he was in the 
unfortunate encounter of Blue Licks, and subsequently accompa- 
nied General G. R. Clark in his movements against the Indian 
villages and settlements to avenge that disaster. 

After embarrassments relative to land claims, having been vic- 
timized by highwaymen on the way to Richmond and robbed of 
twenty thousand dollars, paper money, which he intended to invest 
in land warrants, and " dissatisfied with the impediments to the ac- 
quisition of the soil, he left Kentucky, and in 1795* he was a wan- 
derer on the banks of the Missouri, a voluntary subject of the king 
of Spain." [Collins.] 

The Spanish throne was then presided over by Charles IV. 
When Boone reached St. Louis it was but a trading post. Choos- 

*Authorities differ as to this date, some fixing the period of his departure to 
Missouri in 1797, instead of 1795. 



588 CHKONOLOGICAL KECORDS. 

ing for his abode the Femme Osage district, the Spanish authori- 
ties made him commander of the same. The lieutenant-governor 
of the territory made him a present of a tract of eight thousand 
five hundred acres of land lying on the north side of the Missouri 
river, but through carelessness he did not secure and confirm his 
title. In 1800 Louisiana passed over to France, and in 1803 it 
became, by proper purchase, a part of the United States ; " so that 
Boone became a citizen again of his native country, having thus 
belonged in his life to four different nations — Great Britain, Spain, 
France and the United States." * 

He died September 26, 1820, and was buried, as he requested, 
by the side of his wife, whose death occurred in 1813. After a 
period of twenty-five years their bodies were removed, taken to 
Kentucky and reinterred at Frankfort, September 15, 1845. 

1820. Gas introduced into the United States at Baltimore. 

1820. The site of Indianapolis selected for the seat of govern- 
ment. 

1820. The building of Fort Snelling, at the junction of the 
Mississippi and Minnesota rivers, commenced. 

1820. "As early as 1820, John B. Floyd, a member of Con- 
gress from Virginia, framed a bill and presented it to that body, 
* favoring emigration to the country west of the Rocky mountains, 
not only from the United States, but from China/" [M'Clellan's 
Golden State, p. 78. 

1820. Before communications were opened between the east- 
ern states and the Ohio valley by means of canals and railways, the 
somewhat famous Conestoga wagons, each drawn by six large 
Conestoga horses, carried merchandise from Philadelphia and from 
Baltimore to Pittsburg and to Wheeling. About the year 1820, a 
regular line of these wagons was established by a company of Phila- 
delphia. It was called " The Regular Line to Pittsburg — through 
in fifteen days," and the public.were notified that a team would 
leave Market and Twelfth streets, Philadelphia, every morning at 
eight o'clock. 

* Hill's Life of Daniel Boone. 



CHKONOLOGICAL KECOEDS. 589 

The class of pack horse men among the pioneer settlers were op- 
posed to the introduction and use of wagons, and the wagoners 
were generally unfriendly to the construction of canals and rail- 
ways. 

1820. Missouri Compromise passed, March 3. 

1820. Indians in New England, 2,247 ; in New York, 5,184; 
north of the Ohio and east of the Mississippi, 47,783 ; in the south- 
ern states east of the Mississippi, 65,122. [Report of Rev. J. 
Morse to secretary of war.] 

1820. Between 1811 and 1820 about one hundred and ninety- 
five banks in different parts of the Union became bankrupt, and it 
is said, in a report of the secretary of the treasury of the United 
States, dated May 12, 1820, that these failures, which mostly hap- 
pened in 1814 and 1819, produced a state of distress so general and 
severe that few examples of the like had then occurred. [Ency- 
clopedia Britannica, vol. iii., p. 339.] 

1820. By a treaty concluded between Spain and the United 
States, October 24, 1820, Florida passed over to the American peo- 
ple, and became a part of the Union as a territory, under the gen- 
eral government. [ZelPs Encyclopedia.] 

1821. By the fourth census, the number of inhabitants in 1820 
was found to be 9,625,734. 

1821. March 7, President Monroe appointed General Jackson 
governor of Florida. 

1821. A number of Spanish officers published in a newspaper 
sent out from Pensacola bitter criticisms on the new government. 
Jackson issued a proclamation which banished them from the terri- 
tory after five days. 

1822. In 1822 Boston received a city charter. Population of 
city since 1722 as follows : 

1722 10,567 

1742 16,382 

1790 18,038 

1800 24,937 

1820 43,298 



590 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

1830 61,392 

1840 93,383 

1850 136,881 

1860 177,992 

1865 192,324 

[Report of Boston Board of Trade, January 9, 1867, p. 69.] 

1822. John Gibson, first secretary of Indiana territory, and 
for a time acting governor of the same, died in Allegheny county, 
Pennsylvania, April 10. 

1822. Conspiracy of the negroes in Charleston, South Caro- 
lina, resulting in the execution of thirty-five. 

1822. By act of the British Parliament, the ports of the West 
India islands were opened to American commerce. 

1823. January 31, John Heckwelder, the Moravian mission- 
ary, died at Bethlehem, Ohio, aged eighty. 

1823. Plenipotentiaries from Great Britain and the American 
government, designated for this purpose, negotiated stipulations 
in London for the suppression of the slave traffic. 

1823. A federal union consolidated by the Mexican states. 

1824. General Eufus Putnam died. "In 1796 he was ap- 
pointed surveyor-general of the United States, and directed sur- 
veys of one hundred and seventy-four townships into subdivisions 
for entry under military warrants and other grants." * 

1824. In 1824, the first locomotive traveled at the rate of six 
miles per hour; in 1829 the Pocket traveled at the rate of fifteen 
miles per hour; in 1834 the Fire Fly attained a speed of twenty 
miles per hour; in 1839 the North Star moved with a velocity of 
thirty-seven miles per hour; and at the present moment locomo- 
tives have attained a speed of seventy miles per hour. During 
the same period the quantity of fuel required for generating steam 
has been diminished five-sixths, that is, six tons of coal were for- 
merly consumed for one at the present moment, and other expenses 
are diminished in a corresponding ratio. [Tuck's Railways, 1847.] 

There were short roads, called tramways, in and about Newcas- 

* Mitchner's Ohio Annals. 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 591 

tie, so early as the middle of the seventeenth century ; but they 
were made of wood and were used for transporting coals a moder- 
ate distance from the pits to the place of shipping. They are thus 
mentioned in 1676: 

"The manner of the carriage is by laying rails of timber from 
the colliery to the river, exactly straight and parallel ; and bulky 
carts are made with four rollers fitting these rails, whereby the 
carriage is so easy that one horse will draw down four or five chal- 
drons of coals, and is an immense benefit to the coal merchants." 
[Life of Lord-Keeper North.] 

1824. Lafayette, the companion-in-arms of Washington dur- 
ing the struggle of the revolution, landed at New York, August 
15, from France. He was enthusiastically welcomed, and ex- 
changed hearty congratulations with many who were with him in 
the war of independence and had experienced the hardships of 
camp and field. War-battered veterans, comrades in the blood- 
strifes of freedom, received him with a joy that is born of tears. 
The universal voice proclaimed him the nation's guest; at the fif- 
tieth anniversary of the first conflict of the revolution, at Bun- 
ker Hill, he rekindled the fires of his patriotism ; at Yorktown he 
celebrated its ultimate triumph ; bade a last farewell to the four ex- 
presidents ; received a valedictory compliment from J. Q. Adams, 
the chief magistrate, and departed from the capital of the nation 
to France, September 25, 1825, in a new frigate named the Bran- 
dywine, designed to commemorate the battle in which he was 
wounded. Congress granted him two hundred thousand dollars 
and a township of land as a recognition of his patriotic services. 

1825. The Erie canal, in the state of New York, was finished. 
Its length is three hundred and sixty-three miles, and cost over 
five million dollars. 

" Its earliest advocate was Jesse Hawley, who, in a series of 
articles, published in 1807-8, signed ' Hercules/ set forth the fea- 
sibility and great importance of such a connection of the waters of 
lake Erie and Hudson river. His views were warmly seconded 
by Gouverneur Morris, Dewitt Clinton and a few others, and its 
final accomplishment was the result, chiefly, of the untiring efforts, 



592 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

privately and officially, of the latter gentleman while a member of 
the legislature and governor of the state of New York."* 

1825. The Ohio canal, extending from Cleveland to Ports- 
mouth, three hundred and seven miles, begun in 1825 and finished 

in 1832. 

1826. Kenyon college, Knox county, Ohio, founded. 

1826. Simultaneous deaths of ex-presidents John Adams and 
Thomas Jefferson. , 

1826. The American temperance society organized upon the 
basis of total abstinence. 

1827. The Quincy, Massachusetts, Granite railroad, the oldest 
railroad in the United States, three miles long, completed at the 
above place. 

1828. The tariff law, passed on the 15th of May, was de- 
nounced in some sections of the country as oppressive and unconsti- 
tutional. 

1829. On the 12th of January, 1829, the legislature of Mis- 
souri passed the following joint resolution : 

" Whereas, The example of men high in office has a great in- 
fluence over the habits and customs of the community; therefore, 
be it 

"Resolved, By the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, 
as follows : 

" The governor, lieutenant-governor, secretary of state, auditor 
of public accounts, state treasurer, judges of the different courts, 
the attorney-general and members of the General Assembly, be re- 
quested to dress in clothing the growth and manufacture of this 
state." 

1829. May 29, Chesapeake and Ohio Canal commenced. 

1829. Chesapeake and Delaware Canal opened. 

1830. First passenger railroad opened on the Baltimore and 
Ohio line, from Baltimore to Ellicott's Mills, thirteen miles. 

*Lossing\s History of the United States. 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 593 

1830. In his first annual message (December, 1829), Jackson 
took strong ground against the renewal of the charter of the Uni- 
ted States bank, on the ground that it had failed in the great end 
of establishing a uniform and sound currency, and that such an in- 
stitution was not authorized by the national constitution. He again 
attacked the bank in his annual message of 1830. [Lossing's 
United States.] 

1831. Slave insurrection in Southampton, Virginia, in August. 
On the 30th of October, Nat Turner, the leader of the conspiracy, 
was apprehended, and on the 11th of November was executed. 

1832. First steamboat at Chicago. 

1832. Great flood in the Ohio river, February 10. Water 
sixty-five feet above low water mark. 

1832. At Quebec, Canada, June 8, cholera made its appear- 
ance, and on the 27th in New York City. 

1832. President Jackson vetoed the measure re-chartering the 
United States bank, July 10. 

1832. Black Hawk war inaugurated. An attack was made by 
this fiery Sac chief, in April, upon the frontier settlers of Illinois. 
The tribes composing the aggressive party occupied territory with- 
in the limits of the present state of Wisconsin. General Atkinson, 
with United States troops and some Illinois militia, drove them 
finally to the sunset side of " The Father of Floods." This preda- 
tory chief was captured in August, 1832. 

1832. November 19, a state convention assembled in South 
Carolina, declaring the tariff acts unconstitutional, and, therefore, 
null and void ; resolving that duties should not be paid, and an- 
nouncing its determination to withdraw from the Union and resist 
the general government by force of arms, if necessary, if an at- 
tempt were made to compel their collection. 

1832. December 10, President Jackson issued his proclama- 
tion antagonizing "the right of a state to nullify any act of the 
national government." 

" 38 



594 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

1832. Charles Carroll, of Carrollton, the last surviving signer 
of the Declaration of Independence, died at Baltimore on the 14th 
of November, in the ninety-sixth year of his age. 

1833. — Grand Meteoric Phenomenon — Falling Stars. 

The most remarkable display of those luminous and fiery bod- 
ies which appear suddenly and at uncertain times in the atmos- 
phere, darting across the sky in wild directions and rapidly van- 
ishing from sight, occurred about November 13. The phenome- 
non appeared about 9 p. m. and continued until the following 
morning. The spectacle is represented as that of sky-rockets, 
phosphoric lines and fire-balls, some as large as the full moon. In 
Ohio, an authority says, one was seen in the shape of a pruning- 
hook, twenty feet long and one and a half wide, for an hour. 
This meteoric exhibition was the most magnificent of any on 
record. 

1833. In October the deposits (nearly ten million dollars) of 
the United States bank were removed to various other banks by 
Roger B. Taney, the successor of William J. Duane, secretary of 
the treasury, who had refused compliance to the executive man- 
date, and was dismissed from office. 

1834. General Lafayette died at Paris, May 20. 

1834. Chief Justice John Marshall died in Philadelphia, 
July 6. 

1834. A total eclipse of the sun in South Carolina, Georgia 
and Mississippi. 

1834. President Jackson dispatched General Wiley Thomp- 
son to Florida to prepare for a forcible removal of the Seminoles. 

1835. The Seminole Indians, during this year, inaugurated 
bloody raids, under the guidance of Micanopy and their leading 
chief Osceola, against the frontier inhabitants of Florida, the 
cause of the violence resulting from measures projected to remove 
them beyond the Mississippi. 

1835. A detachment of troops under Major Dade and Captains 
Frazer and Gardner, eight officers and one hundred and two non- 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 595 

commissioned officers and privates, were attacked December 28, 
near Wahoo swamp, between Tampa bay and camp King, by Sem- 
inole Indians, and all slaughtered, save less than a dozen privates. 

1836.— Simon Kenton. 

"In April, 1836, in sight of the place where the Indians, fifty- 
eight years before, proposed to torture him to death, he breathed 
his last." He was a native of Fauquier county, Virginia, where he 
was born May 15, 1755. Like Boone, in his earlier years he in- 
clined to the life and habits of the backwoodsman, and had many 
extraordinary exploits with the Indians. In 1774, when Lord 
Dunmore raised an army to pursue and punish them, he joined his 
command and received employment as a spy. In 1775 he settled 
in what is now Mason county, Kentucky, near the present town of 
Washington. 

Being brave as well as prudent, his services were soon called 
into requisition, serving as a pilot for Major Clark and others. 
He was an excellent rifle-shot, and by the quick and ready use of 
his gun often saved his own life as well as those of his companions. 
In 1778 he engaged with Clark in a successful expedition against 
Kaskaskia. He was made a prisoner in one of his marauding, 
horse-capturing raids and held in custody for eight months. 

"He was eight times compelled to run the gauntlet, three 
times tied to the stake, once brought to the brink of the grave by 
a blow from an axe, and throughout the whole time, with brief in- 
tervals, subjected to great hardship and privations. Once his old 
friend, Simon Girty, the infamous hater of his race, interposed and 
saved him for a short space from the flames. Being again con- 
demned to the stake, in spite of the influence of Girty, Logan, the 
celebrated Mingo (whose wrongs had not obliterated the nobility 
of his nature), exerted his influence in his behalf, and prevailed 
upon a Canadian trader, named Druyer, to purchase him from his 
owners. Druyer succeeded in obtaining him as a prisoner of war, 
upon a promise of returning him, which he, of course, never in- 
tended to fulfill. Kenton was now taken by his new friend and 
delivered over to the British commander at Detroit. Here he 
remained working for the garrison, on half pay, until the summer 



596 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

of 1779, when he effected his escape, by the assistance of Mrs. 
Harvey, the wife of an Indian trader." 

With his two companions in adventure, Bullitt and Coffer, after 
thirty-three days of travel and suffering, he landed safely at Louis- 
ville, about July, 1779, where he remained but a short time, as 
supineness, or absence of occupation, made him miserable. He 
proceeded to Vincennes, without much delay, to once more enjoy 
the presence and companionship of his esteemed soldier-comrade, 
Major Clark, thence to Harrod's station, where tried boon com- 
panions received him with exhibitions of joy. 

He subsequently joined Clark in his expedition against the 
Indians, and was present when Chillicothe, Pickaway and other 
Indian villages were destroyed. (Says Collins, the first invasion 
of Ohio by Kentuckians in any force.) He also accompanied 
Clark in his campaign, in the autumn of 1782, against the Indians 
to avenge the catastrophe of Blue Licks. In this instance he also 
had command of a company, yet acted in the capacity of scout and 
spy, as he well knew the sinuosities and secrets of the woods. 

He engaged in many other sanguinary conflicts with the In- 
dians, and was a party to the more violent engagements that, after 
twenty years, emancipated his beloved Kentucky from the irrup- 
tions and terrors of the red man. Sustaining the rank of major 
when General Wayne, in 1793, was organizing his expedition, he 
joined that officer with his command, and went to Greenville. His 
reputation, now widespread and universal, as a spy, scout, pilot, 
backwoodsman and fearless soldier, secured for him great promi- 
nence among that array of daring hunters of which that victorious 
army was constituted. 

Finally, after being swindled out of his lands and harassed, 
badgered, baffled and beggared by bailiffs and litigations, he re- 
moved to Urbana, Ohio, in 1802, where he remained until 1820, 
when he removed to the head waters of Mad river, Logan county, 
Ohio, " in sight of Wapatomika, where he had been tied to the 
stake by the Indians when a prisoner in their hands. Here he 
was harassed," we are told, " by judgments and executions from 
Kentucky, and to prevent being driven from his cabin by his 
white brethren (as formerly by the savages) to the forest for a shel- 
ter, he was compelled to have some land entered in the name of 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 597 

his wife and children. He still had many tracts of mountain land 
in Kentucky, of little value, which, however, were forfeited to the 
state for taxes. 

u In 1824, then seventy years of age, he undertook a journey 
to Frankfort, in tattered garments and on a sorry horse, to en- 
deavor to get the legislature, then in session, to release the claim 
of the state on his mountain lands." In this he was successful, 
and a pension of two hundred and forty dollars per year secured 
him for support in his declining years. The same authority says 
further : " His body was taken for debt upon the covenants in 
deeds to lands, which he had, in effect, given away, and for twelve 
months he was imprisoned upon the very spot where he first built 
his cabin in 1775." Verily, indeed, did he drink of the waters 
of disappointment and sip of the chalice of bitterness and woe. 

"We can easily see how unfit for civilized life were Boone and 
Kenton, suddenly transposed from an almost primitive and savage 
state of society, unsophisticated and simple-minded as they were. 
The great questions of property regulated by law, and liberty reg- 
ulated by policy, in their profound mysteries, were to them as 
sealed books — they had not studied them ; but for more than 
twenty years, battling with the savages and enduring bitter priva- 
tions, with constant and necessary activity, they lived in the free 
wilderness, where action was unfettered by law and where prop- 
erty was not controlled by form and technicality, but rested on the 
natural and broader foundations of justice and convenience. They 
knew how to beat back the invader of their soil, or repel the ag- 
gression of the private wrong-doer; they knew how to bear down 
a foe in the open field, or circumvent him by stratagem, or destroy 
him by ambush. But they knew not how to swindle a neighbor 
out of his acres by declaration, demurrer, plea and replication, and 
all the scientific pomp of chicanery ; they knew not how damages 
could salve a private injury or personal wrong, or how the verdict 
of a jury could remove the poison from the tongue of the slan- 
derer, or medicine the incurable wounds inflicted by the seducer." 
[Collins.] 

1836. Birney's press, Cincinnati, destroyed by a mob, July 30. 

1837. After some severe encounters with the United States 



598 CHKONOLOGICAL KECOKDS. 

troops, several chiefs appeared in the camp of General Jessup (who 
was then in supreme command), at Fort Dade, and on the 6th of 
March, 1837, they signed a treaty which guaranteed immediate 
peace and the instant departure of the Indians to their new homes 
beyond the Mississippi. But the lull was temporary. The rest- 
less Osceola caused the treaty to be broken, and during the sum- 
mer of 1837 many more soldiers perished in the swamp while 
pursuing the Indians. At length Osceola, with several chiefs and 
seventy warriors, appeared October 21, in Jessup's camp under the 
protection of a flag. They were seized and confined, and soon 
afterward the brave chief was sent to Charleston, where he died of 
a fever while immured in Fort Moultrie. [Lossing's History of 
the United States.] 

1837. Broad street riot in Boston, June 11. 

1837. Sioux treaty to go west of the Mississippi. 

1837. The Papineau rebellion commenced at Montreal, De- 
cember 6, the movement being an energetic effort to secure in- 
dependence and nationality to the people of the Canadas, a scheme 
which enlisted much American sympathy. The Canadian insur- 
gents came to an engagement at St. Eustace, December 14, follow- 
ing. They surrounded Toronto, and were repulsed by the gover- 
nor, Sir Francis Head, January 5, 1838; Lord Dunham, governor 
general, January 16, 1838. Lount and Mathews hanged as traitors, 
April 12, 1838. Lord Dunham resigned October 9, 1838. Re- 
bellion again manifested itself in Beauharnais, November 3, 1838. 
The insurgents concentrated at Napierville under command of Nel- 
son and others, November 6 ; some skirmishes took place, and 
they were routed with the loss of many killed and several hundred 
prisoners. Sir John Colborne announced the suppression of the 
rebellion in his dispatches, dated November 17, 1838. Lord Gos- 
ford, governor of Lower Canada, proclaimed marshal law, and a 
reward of one thousand pounds for Papineau, December 5, 1837. 
McLeod (charged with the destruction of the Caroline, an Ameri- 
can steamer, at Schlosser, December, 1837), acquitted at Utica, Oc- 
tober 12, 1841. President Van Buren's proclamation warning 
citizens of the United States against meddling with the Canadian 



CHRONOLOGICAL RFXORDS. 599 

insurrection. Sir Charles Metcalfe, governor general, 1844. Earl 
of Elgin appointed governor general, took the oath January 30, 
1847. Riots at Montreal, and burning of the parliament house by 
a mob (caused by the dissatisfaction about the act for paying losses 
by the late rebellion to some of the rebels themselves), August 15, 

1849. Movements in favor of annexation to the United States. 
Warning against such movements as high treason, proclaimed in 
the dispatch of Earl Grey, the British colonial secretary, February, 

1850. [World's Progress.] 

1837. Alton riots, November 7. Rev. E. P. Lovejoy's press 
destroyed a third time ; himself and one of the rioters killed. 

1837. Texan independence recognized by the United States, 
and three years afterward by England, France and Belgium. 

1837. Patent granted to S. F. B. Morse for the magnetic tel- 
egraph. 

1838. The exploring expedition under Wilkes sailed from 
Hampton roads, in August. 

1838. General Winfield Scott was sent to Georgia with several 
thousand troops to remove the Cherokee Indians peaceably or for- 
cibly, as the case might be ; through his kindness and conciliatory 
course, they were prevailed upon to migrate. 

1838. Van Rensselaer arrested at the suit of the United States 
for his invasion of Canada and joining the revolters. 

1839. Disputes arising in reference to the boundary between 
the state of Maine and the British province of New Brunswick, 
and a hostile feeling apparently maturing to develop itself in a re- 
sort to arms by the two countries, in 1839, the president ordered 
General Scott to the scene of the controversy, and by the exercise 
of guarded action and a judicious conciliating policy, he restored 
order and avoided bloodshed. 

1839. Mormons settled at Nauvoo, Illinois, and erected some 
fine buildings. In June, 1844, in consequence of a riot, Joe 
Smith and his brother, Hiram, were arrested and put in prison, but 
an infuriated mob demolished the doors of the prison and shot 



600 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

them both. Subsequent to their abandonment of the state, in 1846, 
this property was occupied by a colony of French communists, or 
Icarians, under the direction of Mons. Cabet. 

1840. Antarctic continent discovered by the United States ex- 
ploring expedition, and coasted for one thousand seven hundred 
miles, January 19. 

1840. A violent and destructive tornado swept over Natchez, 
May 7. Estimated loss, one million five hundred thousand dol- 
lars; three hundred and seventeen killed. 

1840. The census of this year gave the population of the 
United States 17,068,666. 

1840. Congress passed the sub-treasury law. 

1841. The sub-treasury act was repealed August 6. 
1841. Bankrupt law was enacted August 18. 

1841. Old United States bank failed, involving great finan- 
cial ruin. 

1842. The northeastern boundary question adjusted by treaty, 
August 20, at the city of Washington, by Daniel Webster for the 
United States, and Lord Ashburton for Great Britain. " Besides 
settling the boundary question, this agreement, known as the Ash- 
burton treaty, provided for the final suppression of the slave trade, 
and for the giving up of criminal fugitives from justice, in certain 
cases." * 

1842. The Seminole war ended — a struggle which lasted seven 
years, and cost the government ten million dollars and the loss of 
one thousand four hundred and sixty-six lives. They (the Semi- 
noles) were then reduced to about three hundred persons, of whom 
only two hundred and thirty were warriors, and took refuge in re- 
mote places, where it was quite impossible to reach them. A large 
proportion of these were successively, and by various devices, 
taken prisoners and sent west, and those who were left soon be- 
came too weak to give further trouble. For nearly three hundred 

*History United States. 



CHEONOLOGICAL KECOKDS. (501 

years a struggle had been perpetuated between the Indians and 
whites, and the population of Florida, up to 1842, had undergone 
four entire revolutions, and after having been settled by the Euro- 
pean race for two hundred and eighty years, was forced to begin 
anew the settlement of the country. 

1842. The exploring expedition of Lieutenant Wilkes, of the 
United States navy, returned to New York, June 10, after having 
made a voyage of nearly ninety thousand miles. 

1842. Dorr's insurrection in Rhode Island. This insurrec- 
tionary demonstration " originated in a movement to adopt a state 
constitution of government, and to abandon the old charter given 
by Charles II. in 1663, under which the people had been ruled 
for one hundred and eighty years. Disputes arose concerning the 
proper method to be pursued in making the change, and these as- 
sumed a serious aspect. Two parties were formed, known, respect- 
ively, as the ' suffrage/ or radical party; the other as the i law and 
order/ or conservative party. Each formed a constitution, elected 
a governor and legislature, and finally armed [May and June, 1843] 
in defense of their respective claims." It was an attempt to set 
aside existing authorities, Thomas W. Dorr being the gubernato- 
rial candidate of the suffrage party. May 16 he entered Provi- 
dence with one thousand three hundred followers, three hundred 
of whom were armed. On the 18th he made an assault upon the 
arsenal. He subsequently entrenched himself at Chepachet. He 
was afterwards arrested, tried and convicted of treason ; was sen- 
tenced, June 25, 1844, to hard labor for life in the state prison, but 
released June 27, 1845, a rehabilitation to his civil rights thereafter 
being denied him. 

1843. Bunker Hill monument completed. 

1844. First electric telegraph erected between Washington 
City and Baltimore, a distance of forty miles. 

1844. Bloody riots in Philadelphia. 

1844. Great floods in the Mississippi. The quantity of 
water in the Mississippi river, passing Memphis in one year, has 
been estimated at 20,865,354,998,400 cubic feet, "a quantity suffi- 



602 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS 

cient to cover an area of one hundred thousand square miles to the 
depth of seven and a half feet." [Proceedings of American Asso- 
ciation for the Advancement of Science, vol. for 1848, p. 336. 
Estimated by Eobert A. Marr, Acting Master United States Navy, 
in 1848.] 

Early Names of Lakes and Rivers in the Northwest. 

The North American Review, number 102, gives the names of 
the lakes and rivers of the northwest, as they appear in the wri- 
tings of the early French travelers. Lake Ontario was called lake 
Frontenac. Lake Erie was called Erike, Erige, or Erie, from the 
nation of Eries destroyed by the Iroquois ; it was also called lake of 
Conti. Lake Huron was Karegnondi, and lake of Orleans. Lake 
Michigan was called lake of Puans, lake of the Illinois, lake 
of the Illinese, lake of the Illinouacks, lake Mischigonong, and 
lake of the Dauphin. Lake Superior was called lake Superieur, 
and lake of Conde. Green bay was baie des Puans. Illinois 
river was sometimes called river Seignelay. The river Ohio was 
called Ouabouskigou, Ouabachi, Ouabache, Oyo, Ouye, and Belle 
riviere. The Mississippi river was called river Colbert, river St 
Louis, Meschasipi, Meschasabe, etc. Missouri river was called 
Pekitanoni, riviere des Osages, Massourites, etc. 

The following is extracted from a History of the United States 
by Miss Emma Willard, relative to the anti-rent disturbances in 
New York : 

An alarming tendency to anarchy has been experienced in the 
anti-rent disturbances in the state of New York. In the early 
history of this state we have seen that under the Dutch govern- 
ment certain settlers received patents of considerable portions of 
land — of which that of Van Rensselaer was the most extensive — 
comprehending the greater part of Albany and Rensselaer coun- 
ties. These lands were divided into farms containing from one 
hundred and sixty to one hundred acres, and leased in perpetuity, 
on the following conditions : The tenant must each year pay to 
the landlord a quantity of wheat, from twenty-two and a half 
bushels to ten, with four fat fowls, and a day's service with horses 
and wagon. If the tenant sold his lease the landlord was entitled 



CHKONOLOGICAL KECOKDS. 603 

to one-quarter of the purchase money. The " patroon" was also en- 
titled to certain privileges on all water-power, and a right to all 
mines. 

In process of time the tenants began to consider these legal 
conditions as anti-republican, a relic of feudal tyranny. The ex- 
cellent Stephen Van Rensselaer, who came into possession of the 
patent in 1785, had, in the kindness of his nature, omitted to ex- 
act his legal rights; and two hundred thousand dollars back rent 
had accrued, which he, dying in 1840, appropriated by will. The 
tenants murmured when called on to pay it, and sheriffs, in at- 
tempting to execute legal process, were forcibly resisted. An 
ineffectual attempt to put down these disorders was made on the 
part of the state authorities by a military movement (1841) called 
in derision "the Heldeberg war." 

In the summer of 1844 the anti-rent disturbances broke out 
with great violence in the eastern towns of Rensselaer, and on the 
Livingston manor, in Columbia county. Extensive associations 
were formed by the anti-renters to resist the laws. They kept 
armed and mounted bands, disguised as Indians, scouring the 
county, and the traveler, as he met them issuing from the dark 
woods, with their hideous masks and gaudy calicoes, was required, 
on penalty of insult, to say, " Down with the rent." These law- 
less rangers forcibly entered houses, took men from their homes, 
tarred and feathered or otherwise maltreated them. In Rensselaer 
county, at noonday, a man was killed where about fifty " Indians" 
were present, some of whom were afterwards arraigned, when they 
swore that they knew nothing of the murder. Sometimes one 
thousand of these distinguished anarchists were assembled in one 
body. Similar disturbances occurred in Delaware county. At 
length Steele, a deputy sheriff, was murdered in the execution of 
his official duty, and his murderers were apprehended. 

Meanwhile Silas Wright was chosen governor of the state. * 
* * On the 27th of August, 1846, he proclaimed the county of 
Delaware in a state of insurrection. Resolute men were made 
sheriffs, and competent military aid afforded him. Leading anti- 
renters were taken, brought to trial and imprisoned. The mur- 
derers of Steele were condemned to death, but their punishment 
was commuted to that of perpetual confinement. 



6(M CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

1845. A treaty with China ratified by Congress, January 16. 

1845. Annexation of Texas to the United States. 

1845. In 1845, F. E. Neumann did for magneto-electric in- 
duction what Ampere did for electro-dynamics, by developing from 
the experimental laws of Lentz the mathematical theory of the 
subject. He discovered a function which has been called the "po- 
tential " (of one linear current on another, or on itself), from which 
he deduced a theory of induction completely in accordance with 
experiment. [Encyclopedia Britannica.] 

1845. The Mexican government, presided over by Santa Anna, 
declared war against the United States. 

1846. General Taylor, with three thousand five hundred men, 
takes a position opposite Matamoras, on the Rio Grande, March 28. 

1846. May 12, 1846, a bill passed both houses of Congress of 
the United States, declaring that war with Mexico already existed, 
by act of that power, and authorizing fifty thousand volunteers, 
and an appropriation toward carrying on the war of ten million 
dollars. On the following day, May 13, 1846, President James 
K. Polk formally declared war against Mexico, owing to the dis- 
turbed relations existing between the two countries, and the meas- 
ures and policies of peace being exhausted. 

Ancient Manner of Declaring War. 

"In the reign of Ancus Martius, the Latins having made in- 
cursions upon the Roman frontier, the Feciales were sent to de- 
nounce war against them. One of these holy heralds, having a 
pointed javelin in his hand, cried out with a loud voice : i Hear, 
Jupiter, and thou Juno ! Hear, Quirinus, and ye gods of heaven, 
earth and hell ! I take you to witness that the Latin people are 
unjust; and as this people has committed outrages against the Ro- 
mans, the Roman people and myself, with the consent of the sen- 
ate, declare war against them.'" [Bell's Historical Dictionary.] 

The following is an epitome of the principal military engage- 
ments of the Mexican war, compiled from the " World's Progress," 
published by Putnam, New York, 1854: 



CHKONOLOGICAL KECOKDS. 605 

First collision — a reconnoitering party of seventy from the 
American army, under Colonel Thornton, were fired upon and 
taken prisoners by the Mexicans. April 24, 1846. 

General Taylor defeats the Mexicans at Palo Alta, loses forty- 
eight killed and one hundred and twenty-six wounded; Mexicans 
two hundred and sixty-two killed and three hundred and fifty-five 
wounded. May 8, 9, 1846. 

Monterey taken by Commodore Sloat. July 6, 1847. 

Santa Fe occupied by General Kearney. August 18, 1846. 

Mexican ports on the Pacific blockaded by Commodore Stock- 
ton. August 19, 1846. 

Battle of Monterey, four thousand seven hundred Americans 
under Taylor, ten thousand Mexicans under Ampudia. Monterey 
surrendered. American loss, one hundred and twenty killed, three 
hundred and sixty-eight wounded; Mexican much greater. Sep- 
tember 21-23, 1846. 

Stevenson's California regiment sailed from New York. Sep- 
tember 26, 1846. 

Tobasco bombarded by Commodore Perry. October 25, 1846. 

Tampico occupied by Commodore Conner. November 14, 

1846. 

Colonel Doniphan, with four hundred and fifty Missouri volun- 
teers, defeated one thousand and one hundred Mexicans at Barito, 
the latter losing sixty-three killed and one hundred and fifty 
wounded. American loss, six wounded. General Kearney defeats 
the " revolted" Californians at San Gabriel, etc. January 8, 1847. 

Major Borland, Cassius M. Clay, Major Gaines and eighty men 
taken prisoners by the Mexicans at Encarnacion January 23, 
1847. 

Revolt against Americans in New Mexico. American gover- 
nor, Bent, and five others murdered. January 14, 1847. 

One thousand five hundred New Mexican Indians and Mexi- 
cans defeated by Colonel Price. January 24, 1847. 

Battle of Buena Vista. Americans, four thousand seven hun- 
dred and fifty-nine, mostly volunteers, under Generals Taylor and 



606 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

Wool, and Mexicans, twenty-two thousand, under Santa Anna ; 
latter defeated, and loss six thousand killed and wounded ; Ameri- 
can loss, two hundred and sixty-seven killed and four hundred and 
fifty-six wounded. February 22-23, 1847. 

Battle of Sacramento. Americans, Colonel Doniphan, nine 
hundred and twenty-four men, defeated four thousand Mexicans, 
under Herridea ; latter's loss, three hundred killed, three hun- 
dred wounded and forty prisoners; American loss, one killed and 
eight wounded. February 28, 1847. 

Vera Cruz surrendered to General Scott and Commodore Perry. 
American loss, sixty-five killed and wounded. March 29, 1847. 

Alvardo surrendered to Lieutenant Hunter. April 2, 1847. 

Battle of Cerro Gordo. Americans, eight thousand five hun- 
dred, under General Scott, defeat twelve thousand Mexicans, un- 
der Santa Anna ; five generals and three thousand men taken pris- 
oners by Scott. American loss, two hundred and fifty ; Mexican, 
three hundred and fifty. 

Taspan taken by Commodore Perry, April 18, 1847. 

Battles of Contreras and Cherubusco. The Americans, under 
General Smith, drive the Mexicans from these fortified posts to- 
wards Mexico, losing one thousand and sixty-six killed and 
wounded; Mexican loss, six thousand. August 20, 1847. 

Armistice agreed upon ; broken by the Mexicans ; hostilities 
re-commenced. September 7, 1847. 

Battle of Molino del Rey. The Americans, under General 
Worth, carried the fortifications, defended by fourteen thousand 
Mexicans, under Santa Anna. American loss, seven hundred and 
eighty-seven killed and wounded ; Mexican loss, three thousand. 
September 8, 1847. 

Battle of Chepultapec, a height near Mexico. Carried by the 
American Generals Worth, Quitman and Pillow (under General 
Scott), after a loss of eight hundred and sixty-two. September 
12-13, 1847. 

This was followed by the surrender of the City of Mexico, 
September 14, 1847. 

Colonel Childs, with four hundred men, and one thousand eight 



CHKONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 607 

hundred sick in hospitals, besieged twenty-eight days at Puebla, 
but compelled the Mexicans to raise the siege, October 12, 1847. 

Contribution of six hundred thousand dollars levied in Mexico 
for protecting public property in the city. September 17, 1847. 

City of Huamantla captured by the American General Lane, 
who defeats Santa Anna. American loss, twenty-four killed and 
wounded : Mexican loss, one hundred and fifty. October 19, 1847. 

Port of Guayamas bombarded and captured by the American 
frigate Congress and sloop Portsmouth. October 20, 1847. 

A tax levied upon the states of Mexico, and duties, etc., laid 
to the amount of about three million dollars. December 31, 1847. 

General Scott superseded by General Butler. February 18, 
1848. 

Treaty of peace ratified at Queretaro, by the Hon. A. H. Se- 
vier and N. Clifford for the United States, and the foreign Mexi- 
can minister, Signor De la Rosa. May 30, 1848. 

American troops finally withdrawn from the City of MexicD. 
June 12, 1848. 



INDIAN WARFARE IN THE NORTHWEST. 

1755. Braddock's expedition. 

1758. Grant's defeat. 

1758. General Forbes' expedition. 

1763. Pontiac's war. 

1764. General Bradstreet's expedition. 
1764. Colonel Bouquet's expedition. 
1774. Massacre at Baker's Bottom. 

1774. Major Angus McDonald's expedition. 

1774. Governor Dunmore's expedition. 

1774. Colonel Andrew Lewis' expedition. 

1776. Attack on McClellan's Fort, Kentucky. 

1777. Attack on Fort Henry (Wheeling). 
1777. Attack on Harrodsburg, Kentucky. 



608 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

1777. Attack on Boonesborough, Kentucky. 

1778. Boonesborough besieged. 

1778. General Clark's first expedition. 

1779. Colonel Bowman's expedition. 
1779. Fort Laurens besieged. 

1779. Attack on Rogers. 

1780. Colonel Byrd's expedition. 

1780. General Clark's second expedition. 

1780. La Balm's expedition. 

1781. Don Eugenio Pierre's expedition. 
1781. Colonel Brodhead's expedition. 

1781. Attack on Colonel Loughrey, August 24. 

1782. Estill's defeat. 

1782. Bryant's Station besieged. 

1782. Battle of Blue Licks. 

1782. General Clark's third expedition. 

1782. Colonel Williamson's expedition. 

1782. Colonel Crawford's expedition. 

1786. General Clark's fourth expedition. 

1786. Colonel Logan's expedition. 

1789. Colonel Hardin's expedition. 

1790. General Harmar's first expedition. 
1790. General Harmar's second expedition. 

1790. Major Hamtramck's expedition. 

1791. Massacre at Big Bottom (Muskingum). 
1791. General Scott's expedition. 
1791. General Wilkinson's expedition. 

1791. General St. Clair's expedition. 

1792. Attack on Major Adair. 

1793. Attack on Morgan's Station, Kentucky. 

1794. Wayne's expedition. 
1811. General Harrison's Tippecanoe expedition. 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 609 

1812. Massacre at Pigeon Roost. 

1812. Massacre at Chicago. 

1812. Fort Wayne besieged. 

1812. Fort Harrison attacked. 

1812. General Hopkins' expedition. 

1812. General Hopkins' second expedition. 

1812. Elkhart villages, etc., destroyed. 

1812. Colonel Russell's first and second expeditions (second 
in 1813). 

1812. Governor Edward's expedition. 

1812. Colonel Campbell's expedition. 

1813. Colonel Bartholomew's expedition. 
1813. Massacre at River Raisin. 

1832. Black Hawk war. 



AN INDIAN TRADITION OF ILLINOIS. 

j^To part of the United States, not even the picturesque high- 
lands of the Hudson, can vie in the wild romantic with the bluffs 
of Illinois. On one side of the river, often at the water's edge, a 
perpendicular wall of rocks rises to the height of some hundred 
feet. Generally, on the opposite shore is a level bottom or prairie 
of several miles in width, extending to a similar bluff that runs 
parallel with the river. 

One of the ranges commences at Alton and extends, with few 
intervals, for many miles along the left bank of the Illinois. In 
descending the river to Alton the traveler will observe between 
that town and the mouth of the Illinois a narrow ravine through 
which a small stream discharges its waters into the Missis- 
sippi. The stream is the Piasa. Its name is Indian, and signi- 
fies, in the language of the Illinois, "the bird that devours men." 
Near the mouth of that stream, on the smooth and perpendicular 
bluff, at an elevation which no human art can reach, is cut the 
figure of an enormous bird, and the bird which the figure repre- 
39 



610 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS 

sents was called by the Indians the Piasa, and from this is derived 
the name of the stream. 

The tradition of the Piasa is still current among all the tribes 
of the Upper Mississippi, and those who have inhabited the valley 
of the Illinois, and is briefly this : 

" Many thousand moons before the arrival of the pale faces, 
when the great megalonyx and mastodon, whose bones are now 
dug up, was still living in this land of green prairies, there ex- 
isted a bird of such dimensions that he could easily carry in his 
talons a full grown deer. Having obtained a taste of human flesh, 
from that time he would prey upon nothing else. He was as art- 
ful as he was powerful ; would dart suddenly and unexpectedly 
upon an Indian, bear him off into one of the caves of the bluff, 
and devour him. Hundreds of warriors attempted for years to 
destroy him, but without success. Whole villages were nearly 
depopulated, and consternation spread throughout all the tribes of 
the Illinois. At length Ouatoga, a chief, whose fame as a warrior 
extended even beyond the great lakes, separated himself from the 
rest of his tribe, fasted in solitude for the space of a whole moon, 
and prayed to the Great Spirit, the master of life, that he would 
protect his children from the Piasa. On the last night of his fast- 
ing the Great Spirit appeared to Ouatoga in a dream, and directed 
him to select twenty of his warriors, each armed with a bow and 
poisoned arrow, and conceal them in a disguised spot. Near the 
place of their concealment another warrior was to stand in open 
view, as a victim for the Piasa, which they must shoot the instant 
he pounced upon his prey. When the chief awoke in the morning, 
he thanked the Great Spirit, and returning to his tribe, told them 
his dream. The warriors were quickly selected and placed in am- 
bush as directed. Ouatoga offered himself as the victim. He was 
willing to die for his tribe. Placing himself in open view of the 
bluff, he soon saw the Piasa perched on the cliff eying his prey. 
Ouatoga drew up his manly form to its utmost height, and plant- 
ing his feet firmly upon the earth, began to chant the death song 
of the warrior. A moment after the Piasa rose in the air, and, 
swift as the thunderbolt, darted down upon the chief. Scarcely 
had he reached his victim, when every bow was sprung, and every 
arrow was sent to the feather into his body. The Piasa uttered a 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 6 1 1 

wild, fearful scream, that sounded far over the opposite side of the 
river, and expired. Ouatoga was safe. Not an arrow, nor even 
the talons of the bird had touched him. The master of life, in 
admiration of the generous deed of Ouatoga, had held over him an 
invisible shield. In memory of this event, the image of the Piasa 
was engraved on the bluff." 

Such is the Indian tradition. Of course I do not vouch for its 
truth. This much, however, is certain; the figure of a bird cut 
into the solid rock, is still there, and at a height that is perfectly 
inaccessible. How, and for what purpose it was made, I leave for 
others to determine. Even at this day an Indian never passes that 
spot in his canoe without firing his gun at the figure of the bird. 
The marks of balls are almost innumerable. 

Near the close of March, of the present year, I was induced to 
visit the bluifs below the mouth of the Illinois, and above that of 
the Piasa. My curiosity was principally directed to the examina- 
tion of a cave connected with the above tradition, as one of those to 
which the bird carried its human victims. Preceded by an intelli- 
gent guide, who carried a spade, I set out on my excursion. The 
cave was extremely difficult of access, so much so that at one point 
of our progress I stood at an elevation of more than one hundred 
and fifty feet on the face of the bluff, with barely room to sustain 
one foot. The unbroken wall towered above me, while below was 
the river. After a long and perilous clambering we reached the 
cave, which was about fifty feet above the surface of the river. By 
the aid of a long pole placed on the projecting rock, and the upper 
end touching the mouth of the cave, we succeeded in entering it. 
Nothing could be more impressive than the view from the entrance 
of this cavern. The Mississippi was rolling in silent grandeur be- 
neath us; high over our heads a single cedar hung its branches over 
the cliff, on the blasted top of which was seated a bald eagle. No 
other sound nor sign of life was near us. A Sabbath stillness rested 
upon the scene. Not a cloud was in the heavens; not a breath of 
air was stirring. The broad Mississippi lay before us calm and 
smooth as a lake. The landscape presented the same wild aspect 
as it did before it had been seen by the eye of the white man. 
The roof of the cavern was vaulted, the top of which was hardly less 
ihan twenty feet in height. The shape of the cave was irregular; 



612 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

but so far as I could judge, the bottom would average twenty by 
thirty feet. The floor of this cave, throughout its whole extent, was 
of human bones. Skulls and other human bones were mingled to- 
gether in the utmost confusion. To what depth they extended I 
am unable to decide, but we dug the depth of three or four feet in 
every quarter of the cavern, and still we found only bones. 
How, and by whom, and for what purpose, it is impossible even to 
conjecture. [Family Magazine.] 



OTHER TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS. 

An opinion once prevailed, and still prevails to a certain ex- 
tent, among some of the western Indians, that eclipses of the sun 
and moon are caused by a bad spirit, who mischievously intercepts 
the light intended to be shed upon the earth. On such occasions 
the Indians manifested a strong desire to drive away the demon, 
and for this purpose they assembled in bodies and began an attack 
upon the evil spirit by drumming, shooting, shouting, and making 
all the terrifying sounds that they can produce. They never fail 
in their object. 

The belief among the Chippewas is that there is a battle be- 
tween the sun and moon, which intercepts the light. Their object 
is, therefore, to stop the fight and separate the combatants. Thev 
think that this can be done by withdrawing the attention of the 
combatants from each other to the Chippewas themselves. They 
accordingly fill the air with all the discordant uproar that can be 
made by firing guns, yelling and drumming. It is a source of 
great pleasure to the Chippewas to believe that their clamor never 
fails to attract the attention of the sun and moon, and that the 
strife between these bodies never lasted long after the beginning 
of the noise. 

There is a tradition among some tribes that the first Indians 
came down from the skies. 

The Nantikokes say that seven Indians found themselves, " all 
at once, sitting on the seashore, not knowing where they came from, 
and from these all the Indians did come." 

The Indian beds, in general, are made up of some pieces of 



CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 613 

wood, upon which they lay skins, and for their covering they use 
the finest sorts of skins, or else mats finely wrought. [La Salle's 
Expeditions in America, p. 11.] 

In speaking of the origin of " calumet," Charlevoix says some 
Indians told him that it was given by the sun to the Panis [Paw- 
nees], a nation upon the Missouri. 

It was the law of all the Indian tribes that the inferior chiefs 
and subjects should plant and remove at the will of the highest 
chiefs. [Roger Williams.] 



In the compilation of these chronological records the promi- 
nent and cardinal motive has been to gather from the most reliable 
and authentic sources brief accounts of the principal historical 
events which, up to the close of the Mexican war, seem to throw 
light on the origin and progress of civilized settlements in the im- 
mense regions lying westward of the Allegheny mountains. Pro- 
ductive states and prosperous territories have been organized, and 
the western domain has been extended southwardly to Mexico, 
and westward to the Pacific ocean. Populous cities have sprung 
up into existence in what was known as swamp and desert places ; 
rivers have been spanned with magnificent bridges, and their 
water courses float merchantmen and ships of commerce; moun- 
tain barriers have yielded to the blows of engineering enter- 
prise; a net-work of railways extends over the states, and is pene- 
trating the territories ; the two coasts are united in firm wedlock 
of iron chains; continuous lines of telegraph familiarize the east 
and the west, the north and the south ; immense and inexhaustible 
mines of gold and silver and the baser metals, of incalculable pro- 
ductiveness, are found in many of the states and territories, which 
annually contribute millions to the world's material wealth; inter- 
minable forests of pine, oak, fir, hemlock, cedar and walnut, diver- 
sify immeasurable surface areas of the continent, and sources of 
natural wealth hidden, unfathomed and unexplored, characterize 
nearly every section of our vast, broad and limitless domain. 

From a submissive, dependent and tyrannized colonial condi- 
tion, we have in ten decades extended the national arm and widened 
the beneficence of its power from sea to sea, and from frozen to 



614 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORDS. 

tropic parallels, until the area of territory under the jurisdiction of 
the national government embraces nearly four million square miles, 
or two thousand millions of acres, with a population of forty mil- 
lions. 

In the great valley of the Mississippi and beyond it, devoted, 
as its inhabitants are, to industry, agricultural pursuits, the me- 
chanic arts and the various productive enterprises of the age, is 
found the germs of a civilization and empire unparalleled in the 
history of man. Here is the uncounted wealth of mines ; soils of 
incomparable fertility, and a climate adapted to every latitude of 
the human race. Here are wonderful grain centers, transcending 
the fertile areas between the Euphrates and Tigris, as well as the 
great cotton districts of the western hemisphere, renowned in the 
factories of the world, cultivated and prepared for market under 
the skilled management of the producers of the south. Here, 
where fifty years ago there was not a railroad in the United States, 
are fifty thousand miles of railway, at a cost of two billions and a 
half of money. Here are manufactories, agricultural colleges, 
universities, seminaries, infirmaries, asylums, mechanical and sci- 
entific institutes, temples of worship, and in a word, here are salu- 
tary laws, a frugal, thrifty, noble people, animated by a public 
spirit which is the soul and the beam of patriotism ; and here is 
the advancing civilization whose history is to be identified with 
Providence, and with the dispensations of a Power whose empire 
is Peace. 



PART XI. 

THE NEW ENGLAND STATES. 

MAINE. 

Maine, the remotest eastern state of the Federal Union, has an 
extreme length, from north to south, of about 300 miles, and an ex- 
treme width of about 212 miles, or an average width of 160 miles, 
by an average length of 200 miles. It embraces an area of 31,766 
square miles, or 20,330,240 acres. It was admitted into the Union 
March 15, 1820. Population in 1820, 298,269; 1830, 399,455; 
1840, 501,793; 1850, 583,169; 1860, 628,279; 1870, 626,915. 
Maine has an extensive sea-coast, with numerous bays and inlets, 
which afford a series of excellent harbors. The surface of the 
interior country beyond the coast region, which is somewhat flat 
and sandy, is, in general, pleasantly varied with valleys and hills. 
It has been estimated that fully one-fifth of the state is covered 
with water, and nearly every portion of it is abundantly supplied 
with streams and rivulets, which, for the most part, flow from or 
through lakes, and are copiously supplied from these reservoirs 
throughout the year. Many of these lakes are distinguished for 
the picturesque beauty of their scenery, and some of them being 
quite extensive, they constitute characteristic features of the coun- 
try. 

The climate is cold and subject to severe extremes, but the 
atmosphere is unusually clear and invigorating. The soils of the 
state are of various fertility, those near the coast being sandy and 
sterile, but in other localities, and more especially along the rivers, 
they are well adapted to grazing. In the state are many dense 
forests of beech, birch, pine, oak, etc. There is also abundance of 

(615) 



616 THE NEW ENGLAND STATES. 

timber suitable for ship-building, and from the facilities with which 
it is procured, Maine has become the great ship-building state of 
the Union. Limestone, marble and granite constitute the princi- 
pal mineral products, and are largely quarried. It has extensive 
fisheries of cod, mackerel, herring and salmon. Augusta, the 
capital of the state, situated on the Kennebec river, is well built, 
and has many handsome edifices. 

The first settlements of Maine were for a long time interrupted 
by savage incursions, and though visited at an early period, no 
permanent colonies were established until the commencement of 
the seventeenth century. In 1604 the French settled on the Ken- 
nebec, and in 1607 Sir John Gilbert arrived at the mouth of the 
same river, with 100 colonists, but having passed the winter in 
great suffering, the party returned to England. After the forma- 
tion of the Plymouth company, a more regular system of coloniza- 
tion was attempted, but no effectual settlement by the English was 
made before 1635. In that year the country was parceled into 
shares, but none of the holders, except Sir Ferdinand Gorges, who 
received a grant of the lands between the Piscataqua and Kenne- 
bec, obtained their patents. His charter, granted in 1639, gave 
him despotic power over the district, and the laws he promulgated 
on taking possession were aristocratic and feudal in their character, 
and little suited to the English emigrant of the time. The first 
general council was held in 1640. His government continued un- 
der himself and heirs during the period of the commonwealth in 
England and the usurpation of Massachusetts until 1667, when the 
heirs, wearied of the conflicts with Massachusetts for jurisdiction, 
sold their interest to that colony for twelve hundred pounds ster- 
ling, it being thereafter governed as a part of her territory, and 
included in the new charter of Massachusetts in 1691. From the 
period of this union until the final separation in 1820, the history 
of Maine has been merged in Massachusetts. William King was 
the first governor of Maine, from 1820 to 1822. The state was 
named from Maine, France, of which Henrietta Maria, queen of 
England, was at that time proprietor. Popular name, "The 
Lumber or Pine Tree State." 



THE NEW ENGLAND STATES. 617 

NEW HAMPSHIRE. 

New Hampshire, one of the thirteen original states, is about 180 
miles in length, from north to south, with a maximum breadth of 
90 miles, or an average of 45, including an area of 9,280 square 
miles, or 5,939,200 acres. Population in 1790, 141,885; 1800, 
183,858; 1810, 214,460; 1820, 244,022; 1830, 269,328; 1840, 
284,574; 1850,317,976; 1860,326,073; 1870,318,300. The sea- 
coast of New Hampshire is but eighteen miles in length. The 
shore is little else than a sandy beach, bordered in front by salt 
marshes, and indented by creeks and coves, which form, however, 
eligible harbors for small craft. For twenty-five or thirty miles 
from the seaboard the surface is principally level, or gently undu- 
lating, but beyond this zone the general surface becomes moun- 
tainous, chiefly in the north, the hills augmenting in height as they 
recede from the sea, until they swell to the noble grandeur of the 
White mountains. 

It is estimated that about 110,000 acres of the area of this 
state are covered with water. The soils of the state are somewhat 
stubborn, but industrious and careful husbandry have rendered 
them moderately productive. The most fertile regions are in the 
valleys of the rivers. The northern part of it is valuable as wood- 
land and pasturage. The climate is some colder than that of 
Maine, and more regular; the difference of elevation, however, 
decides the prevailing temperature, and in some cases the differ- 
ence between that of the base and the summit of the mountains is 
from eighteen to twenty-five degrees. During the summer sol- 
stice the thermometer will ascend to one hundred degrees Fahren- 
heit, and in the winter congeal mercury in the tube. None of the 
sta.es have greater quantities of granite suited to architectural pur- 
poses. Immense and inexhaustible ranges of this stone, of the 
finest texture and color, are found at various points on the banks 
of the Merrimac and Connecticut. Oak, pine, hemlock, ash, beech, 
birch, etc., are the natural timber growths of the country. Its 
mineral resources are by no means unimportant. 

Notwithstanding the rigor of the climate, many instances of 
longevity, seemingly peculiar to this state, are recorded, and it is 
said to be no unusual spectacle to find persons enjoying good health 



(318 THE NEW ENGLAND STATES. 

at the great age of one hundred years. William Perkins, of New 
Market, died in 1732 at 116; William Scory, of Londonderry, in 
1754, at 110; Robert Merlin, in 1785, at 115; Samuel Welch, of 
Bow, 1823, at 113. In 1840 there were living in the state ten 
persons of one hundred years of age and upward, and in 1850 thir- 
teen persons. 

" New Hampshire was first settled by the English, at Dover and 
Portsmouth, in 1623. It was originally a part of Massachusetts, 
but was organized as a separate province, with its present name, 
by a royal charter, in 1679. In 1689 it was annexed to Massachu- 
setts, and was afterwards transferred to New York. It was erected 
into an independent province in 1741, however, and has since 
maintained a distinct existence. In 1776 the state declared its 
separate independence of Great Britain, and June 21, 1788, it 
adopted the constitution of the United States." Richard Cutts- 
was the first colonial governor (1680), and Jonah Bartlett the first 
under the constitution, from 1792 to 1794. New Hampshire was 
the name given to the territory conveyed by the Plymouth com- 
pany to Captain John Mason, by patent, November 7, 1629, with 
reference to the patentee, who was governor of Portsmouth, in 
Hampshire, England. Popular name, "The Granite State." 



VERMONT. 



Vermont, one of the northeast or New England states, the 
fourteenth member of the confederacy, and the first state admitted 
under the constitution, possesses an area of 10,212 square miles, or 
6,535,680 acres. It was admitted into the Union March 4, 1791. 
Population, 1790, 85,425; 1800, 154,465; 1810, 217,895; 1820, 
235,966; 1830, 280,652; 1840, 291,948; 1850, 314,120; 1860, 315,- 
098; 1870,330,551. 

With some slight exceptions the entire surface of Vermont is 
mountainous, although the soils of the state are generally rich and 
loamy; excellent tracts of valley land are found near the rivers, 
which consist of deep, black alluvial deposits. The uplands are in 
many places not inferior to the lower or valley regions, and are 
usually sufficiently free from stones to admit of cultivation. The 



THE NEW ENGLAND STATES. 619 

more hilly and mountainous sections that are not arable, afford the 
very richest pasturage. Altogether the state is better adapted to 
grazing than to tillage. Cattle, horses and sheep reared in this 
state enjoy a great popularity in the market. Wheat is raised in 
some sections, and the climate and soil of all parts are favorable to 
the growth of the apple. 

The minerals prevailing in this state are copper, iron, zinc, 
lead, etc. Granite, however, is the great staple. The forests con- 
sist of spruce, fir, hemlock, etc., on the high tracts, while oak, 
beech, sugar-maple, pine, hickory, elm, birch, basswood and but- 
ternut abound on the lower lands and plateaux. Montpelier, the 
capital of the state, and located near the center, is a thrifty city, on 
the line of transit between Boston and Montreal. 

Vermont was discovered, and districts of territory explored by 
Samuel Champlain, as early as 1609. In 1724 the first settlement 
was made by the whites, on the site of the present town of Brat- 
tleborough. Immigration set in from 1760 to 1768, during which 
period the country had been claimed as a part of the New Hamp- 
shire grant; whereupon a counter-claim was put forth by the gov- 
ernor of New York, under virtue of the grants from Charles II. 
to his brother, the Duke of York. On an appeal to the English 
crown, jurisdiction over the new territory was decided in favor of 
New York. This decision culminated in armed difficulties be- 
tween the settlers of Vermont and the authorities of New York. 
In 1777 Vermont declared herself independent, and applied for 
admission into the national confederation, but which privilege was 
denied her until 1791. Thomas Chittenden was the first governor 
of the state. Vermont was so called in their declaration of inde- 
pendence, January 16, 1777, from the French verd mont, the Green 
mountains. Popular name, the " Green Mountain State*" 



MASSACHUSETTS. 



Massachusetts, "the parent state" of New England, and one of 
the original thirteen, has a general breadth of not more than 50 miles, 
with a length of about 160 miles ; but in the eastern part it extends 
abruptly to the breadth of 90 miles, and shoots a long, narrow tongue 



,620 THE NEW ENGLAND STATES. 

of land into the ocean, which extends nearly 50 miles beyond the 
mainland. Its estimated area includes 7,800 square miles, or 4,992,- 
000 acres. Population in 1790, 378,787; 1800, 422,845; 1810, 
472,040; 1820,523,159; 1830, 610,408; 1840, 737,699; 1850, 994,- 
514; 1860, 1,231,066; 1870, 1,457,351. 

The general surface of the state is hilly, and in some places de- 
cidedly rugged. The inclination, or slope of the country, is from 
the west to the east, the ascents being proportioned to the distance 
inland. The southeast coast is margined, in some parts, by 
marshy plains, which extend inland for several miles. This is 
succeeded by a hilly region, which occupies all the central portion 
of the state, and is characterized by valleys of various dimensions 
.and extent, numerous rivers and large pine barrens. This region 
is separated from the mountainous sections, which embrace the ex- 
treme west portion of the state, by the valley of the Connecticut 
river. Between Cape Ann and Cape Cod the coast presents a spa- 
cious, deep and admirable bay. 

The soil of Massachusetts is by no means remarkable for its 
productions, although, by judicious and careful cultivation, large 
tracts have been greatly improved, so that nearly every variety of 
grain, fruit, etc., common to the temperate region yields abundantlv. 
The valleys of the state, especially those of the Connecticut and 
Housatonic rivers, possess a deep, rich and productive soil. 

The climate of the state resembles that of the states lying 
north of it, though not subject to their extremes of temperature. 
Its mineral resources consist of iron, lead, mica, gneiss, quartz, lime- 
stone, horneblende, slate and asbestos. Calcareous formations and 
the altered silurian sandstones are found on the high lands which 
•cross the state from north to south, and along the Housatonic. This 
is the most important mineral region in the state, many beds of iron 
ore having been operated to advantage, and the quartz rocks af- 
fording, in their disintegrated beds, bodies of glass-sand of un- 
usual purity. Granite of the finest quality prevails in Quincy 
and vicinity. The new wings of the capitol at Washington, D. C. 
as well as that of Girard College, Philadelphia, are constructed 
from the marble of Berkshire county; so is Bunker Hill monu- 
ment, the front of the Tremont House at Boston, and other mag- 
nificent structures in New York and elsewhere. 



THE NEW ENGLAND STATES. 621 

In its manufacturing enterprises and industries it enters into 
competition with the world, and is a chief manufacturing district 
of the United States. For the year 1870 its industrial products 
were $553,912,568; capital employed, $231,677,862 ; number of 
persons engaged, 279,380. The principal productions were wool- 
len goods, calico, mousseline de laine, clothing, paper, leather and 
boots and shoes. From her earliest settlement, Massachusetts has 
been conspicuous and prominent in her advocacy of the public school 
system, and in 1636 she appropriated two thousand dollars toward 
the establishment of Harvard College. The condition of suffrage 
in this commonwealth is the capacity to read and write in the 
English language. 

Boston, the commercial emporium of New England, and capital 
of Massachusetts, is situated on a peninsula at the head of Massachu- 
setts bay. In 1740 the population was 17,000, and in 1790 only 
18,038, its growth having been impeded by wars and the restric- 
tive policy of England. Its population in 1870 was 250,526. 
Since 1790 its advancement in all respects has been rapid and re- 
markable. Its docks, wharves and warehouses are constructed 
upon an extensive scale. The State House, City Hall, Market 
House, Court House, General Hospital, Public Library, Bureau of 
Charities, Horticultural and Music Halls, etc., are splendid speci- 
mens of the different styles of modern architecture. A magnificent 
park of fifty acres, known as the Common, and Bunker Hill Monu- 
ment, at Charlestown, are objects of great attraction. Here The 
News-Letter, the first journal issued in the United States, was pub- 
lished April 24, 1704. The second was the Boston Gazette, begun 
in 1719. The city derived its name from the colonists who first 
came from Boston, England. After the repeal of the stamp act and 
the duty on tea was attempted to be imposed, the earliest popular 
movements appeared at Boston. It was the first to remonstrate 
against, and the most strenuous to oppose, the unjust taxation by the 
mother country. The part it played in the bloody drama of the 
revolution is historically immortal. Her devotion to science, art 
and education has given her great prominence before the world. 
She has been called the " Athens " of the New World, and face- 
tiously dubbed the " Hub " of the universe. 

The history of Massachusetts may be supposed to have its be- 



$22 THE NEW ENGLAND STATES. 

ginning with the landing of a colony of English Puritans in De- 
cember, 1620, which was known as the Plymouth company. A le- 
gend prevails that portions of its coast were discovered by Norwe- 
gian navigators as early as A. D. 1000, but the verdict of the best 
historians is, that the honor of its discovery properly belongs to 
John Cabot, who, under orders of Henry VII., visited the coast 
in 1497. Eight years (1628) after the arrival of the Pilgrims 
another colony was established at Salem, and both were united 
under one government, with Maine, in 1692. The present state 
constitution was formed in 1780, and adopted by a popular vote; 
it was revised and altered in 1820. In 1783 slavery was abolished, 
and in 1786 a rebellion, under the leadership of Daniel Shays, dis- 
turbed the quiet of the state, which, after some trifling collisions, 
was soon suppressed. The Federal constitution was adopted Feb- 
ruary 6, 1788, by 187 against 168. John Carver was the first colo- 
nial governor (1620), and John Hancock the first under the con- 
stitution, from 1789 to 1794. Massachusetts was named from the 
Massachusetts tribe of Indians, in the neighborhood of Boston. 
The tribe is thought to have derived its name from the Blue Hills 
of Milton. " I had learnt," says Roger Williams, " that the Mas- 
sachusetts was so called from the blue hills." Popular name, " The 
Bav State." 



RHODE ISLAND. 

Rhode Island, the last of the thirteen original states to ratify 
the Federal constitution, is the smallest state in the Union, being 
but 42 miles in length and 35 in width, with an area of about 1,- 
360 square miles. Population in 179*0, 68,825; 1800, 69,122; 
1810, 76,931; 1820, 83,015; 1830, 97,199; 1840, 108,830; 1850, 
147,545; 1860, 174,620; 1870, 217,353. Narragansett bay en- 
ters the eastern part of the state, and extending inland for a 
distance of thirty miles in a northern direction, separates it into 
two unequal parts. It is generally broken and hilly in its surface 
aspects, although none of the elevations within its border attain 
to the dimensions of mountains. In its leading features the cli- 
mate of Rhode Island is said to assimilate that of Great Britain, it 
being greatly influenced by the breezes and vapors of the Atlantic. 



THE NEW ENGLAND STATES. 623 

The soils arc of considerable diversity, and, in the main, are not so 
well adapted to tillage as grazing, although barley, oats, rye and 
wheat are produced in quantities sufficient for home consumption. 
The inhabitants, however, instead of making agriculture a pursuit, 
devote themselves to manufactures, commerce and the fisheries. 

Its mineral deposits comprise freestone, marble, copper and beds 
of anthracite coal. As a manufacturing center its position is next 
only to Massachusetts. Hardware, leather, woolen and cotton 
goods, and great varieties of machinery, constitute her chief in- 
dustrial products. Bleaching and calico printing are largely con- 
ducted, and a number of iron foundries are in the state. 

Rhode Island, lying in Narragansett bay, fifteen miles long 
and on an average three and a half miles wide, gives its name to 
the state. Its soil is fertile, and its climate such as to have won 
k the title of the "Eden of America." Rhode Island has two 
state capitals — Newport and Providence, the harbor of the former 
beine one of the finest in the world. 

The government of this state, first settled in 1636, was founded 
on the provisions of the charter granted to the colony by Charles 
II. in 1663. Roger Williams and his associates, who left Massa- 
chusetts to escape religious persecutions, were the first settlers, and 
founded the town of Providence in 1636. In 1664 Williams ob- 
tained a patent from the Plymouth company, including Providence 
Plantations and Rhode Island, which had been settled in 1638. 
The charter of 1644, which was renewed in 1663, remained in 
force till 1842, when a new constitution was adopted in 1844. 
Rhode Island gave her adherence to the Federal constitution (the 
last to accede to it) May 29, 1790. John Coggeshall was the first 
colonial governor (or president) 1647, of Rhode Island, and Ar- 
thur Fenner the first under the constitution, from 1790 to 1805. 
It was so-called in 1664, in reference to the Rhode Island of 
Rhodes, in the Mediteranean. Popular name, "Little Rhody." 



CONNECTICUT. 



Connecticut lies between Massachusetts and Long Island 
sound, and extends from Rhode Island to New York, and is 



624 THE NEW ENGLAND STATES. 

90 miles in length, with an average breadth of over 50 miles,. 
possessing an area of 4,730 square miles, or 3,027,200 acres. 
Population in 1790, 237,946; 1800, 251,002; 1810, 261,942; 1820, 
275,148; 1830, 297,675; 1840, 309,978; 1850, 370,792; 1860, 
460,147; 1870, 537,454. Hills and valleys of moderate size oc- 
curring in rapid succession greatly diversify the whole surface area 
of the state. The valley of the Connecticut, varying in width 
from ten to sixteen miles, is one of exceeding fertility, and is a 
valuable agricultural district. The river valleys throughout the 
state are generally productive. In the eastern portion of the state 
the prevailing soil is rich and fertile, while nutritious grasses grow 
abundantly. 

The climate and vegetation very nearly correspond to those 
of Massachusetts. Valuable mineral deposits are found through- 
out the state. Copper, iron ore, marble, zinc, cobalt, manganese, 
plumbago, etc., have been discovered at various times and places. 
The manufacture of clocks, carriages, iron, woolen, cotton and 
India-rubber material are immense productive industries. Cabi- 
net furniture, silver and plated ware, saddlery, paper, boots, shoes, 
leather, buttons, combs, powder, glass, underwear, etc., comprise 
the multiplicity of their agricultural and mechanic manufactures. 
Sharp's rifles, Collin's axes and Colt's revolvers, and numerous 
other products of inventive skill and enterprise, have achieved for 
the state a distinctive reputation. From its chief river bearing 
its title, the state derives its name, signifying, in the Indian dialect, 
"The Long River." Hartford is the capital of the state. At 
New Haven is Yale College, established in 1700. 

The state of Connecticut was first settled at Windsor by a col- 
ony from Massachusetts, in 1663. Hartford was settled by the 
English in 1635, the Dutch having previously built a fort there, 
which they did not permanently hold. It originally comprised two 
colonies — the colony of Connecticut and the colony of New Haven. 
In 1662, April 23, a charter was granted by Charles II., with 
ample privileges, uniting them under one government. For a pe- 
riod the colony of New Haven refused to accept the charter, and 
the union did not take place till 1665. In 1687 the charter was 
suspended by James II., and Sir Edmund Andros, who had been 
appointed governor of New England, was despatched to assume 



THE NEW ENGLAND STATES. 625 

the functions of government. Repairing to Hartford with a body 
of troops he demanded the charter from the assembly then in session, 
the instrument was brought into the hall with the intention of sur- 
rendering it, but the discussion being protracted into the evening, 
the lights were suddenly extinguished, and Captain Joseph Wads- 
worth carried it away and deposited it in the famous Charter Oak, 
which succumbed to a storm in 1856. The charter was restored 
again after the revolution of 1688, in England, and the deposition 
of Andros, and the government was administered under it until 
1818, when the present constitution was established and went into 
effect. It became one of the original states, and adopted the con- 
stitution of the Union in 1780, by a vote of one hundred and 
twenty-eight to forty. John Winthrop was the first colonial gov- 
ernor of Connecticut (1665), and Samuel Huntington the first un- 
der the constitution, from 1785 to 1796. Connecticut received its 
title from the Indian name of its principal river. Connecticut is a 
Mockeakannew word, signifying " Long River." Popular name, 
" The Nutmeg or Freestone State." 



40 



PART XII. 

THE MIDDLE STATES. 
NEW YORK. 

This state, though not the largest, is the most important of the 
great Federal Union, and was one of the original thirteen. Its 
maximum breadth is 311 miles, and its length, Long Island inclu- 
sive, is 412 miles, and possesses an area of 47,000 square miles, or 
32,332,160 acres. Population in 1790, 340,120; 1800, 589,051; 
1810, 959,049; 1820, 1,372,111 ; 1830, 1,908,608; 1840, 2,428,921; 
1850, 3,097,394 ; 1860, 3,880,735 ; 1870, 4,382,759. The appended 
topographical description of New York is extracted from French's 
Gazeteer of the state : 

" This state lies upon that portion of the Appalachian moun- 
tain system where the mountains generally assume the character 
of hills, and finally sink to a level of the lowlands that surround 
the great depression filled by Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence 
river. Three distinct mountain masses or ranges enter the state 
from the south, and extend across it in a generally northeast direc- 
tion. The first or most easterly of these ranges — a continuation 
of the Blue Ridge of Virginia — enters the state from New Jersey, 
and extends northeast, through Rockland and Orange counties, to 
the Hudson, appears on the east side of that river, and forms the 
highlands of Putnam and Dutchess counties. A northerly exten- 
sion of the same mountains passes into the Green mountains of 
western Massachusetts and Vermont. This range culminates in 
the highlands upon the Hudson. The highest peaks are one thou- 
sand to one thousand seven hundred feet above tide. * * * 
The deep gorge formed by the Hudson in passing through this 

(626) 



THE MIDDLE STATES. 627 

range presents some of the finest scenery in America, and has often 
been compared to the celebrated valley of the Rhine. 

" The second series of mountains enters the state from Penn- 
sylvania, and extends northeast through Sullivan, Ulster and 
Greene counties, terminating and culminating in the Catskill 
mountains upon the Hudson. The highest peaks are three thou- 
sand to three thousand eight hundred feet above tide j the Shaw- 
angunk mountains, a high and continuous ridge extending between 
Sullivan and Orange counties and into the south part of Ulster, is 
the extreme east range of this series. The Helderberg and Helli- 
bark mountains are spurs extending north from the main range into 
Albany and Schoharie counties. * * * The declivities are 
steep and rocky, and a large share of the surface is too rough for 
cultivation. The highest peaks overlook the Hudson, and from 
their summits are obtained some of the finest views in eastern New 
York. 

" The third series of mountains enters the state from Pennsyl- 
vania and extends northeast, through Broome, Delaware, Otsego, 
Schoharie, Montgomery and Herkimer counties, to the Mohawk, 
and appears upon the north side of that river, and extends north- 
east, forming the whole series of highlands that occupy the north- 
east part of the state, and generally known as the Adirondack 
mountain region. South of the Mohawk, this mountain system 
assumes the form of broad, irregular hills, occupying a wide space 
of country. It is broken by the deep ravines of the streams, and 
in many places the hills are steep and nearly precipitous. The 
valley of the Mohawk breaks the continuity of the range, though 
the connection is easily traced at Little Falls, the Noses, and 
other places. North of the Mohawk the highlands extend north- 
east in several distinct ranges, all terminating upon Lake Cham- 
plain. The culminating point of the whole system, and the high- 
est mountain in the state, is Mount Marcy, five thousand four hun- 
dred and sixty-seven feet above the tide. The mountains are 
usually wild, rugged and rocky. A large share of the surface is 
entirely unfit for cultivation, but the region is rich in minerals, and 
especially in an excellent variety of iron ore. West of these 
ranges, series of hills, forming spurs of the Alleghanies, enter the 
state from Pennsylvania, and occupy the entire south half of the 



628 THE MIDDLE STATES. 

western part of the state. An irregular line extending through 
the southerly counties forms the watershed that separates the north- 
ern and southern drainage ; and from it the surface gradually de- 
clines northward, until it finally terminates in the level of Lake 
Ontario. The portion of the state lying south of this watershed, 
and occupying the greater part of the two southerly tiers of coun- 
ties, is entirely occupied by these hills. Along the Pennsylvania 
line they are usually abrupt, and are separated by narrow ravines, 
but toward the north their summits become broader and less bro- 
ken. A considerable portion of the highland region is too steep 
for profitable cultivation, and is best adapted to grazing. The 
highest summits in Allegany and Cattaraugus counties are two 
thousand to three thousand feet above tide. 

" From the summits of the watershed the highlands usually de- 
scend toward Lake Ontario in series of terraces, the edges of which 
are the outcrops of the different rocks which underlie the surface. 
These terraces are usually smooth, and, although inclined toward 
the north, the inclination is generally so slight that they appear to 
be level. Between the hills of the south and the level land of the 
north is a beautiful rolling region, the ridges gradually declining 
toward the north. In that part of the state south of the most 
eastern mountain range the surface is generally level or broken by 
low hills. In New York and Westchester counties these hills are 
principally composed of primitive rocks. The surface of Long 
Island is generally level or gently undulating. A ridge one hun- 
dred and fifty to two hundred feet high, composed of sand, gravel 
and clay, extends east and west across the island north of the cen- 
tre." 

The riparian system of the state supplies immense distances of 
inland navigation. The Hudson, the largest river, is a splendid 
water course, has a length of three hundred and twenty miles, a 
tidal flow of one hundred and fifty miles. Its sources are in the 
Adirondack group of mountains, the stream flowing in a south- 
wardly direction toward the Atlantic ocean. The other more im- 
portant rivers of the state are the Oswego, Genesee, Mohawk, St. 
Regis, Catskill, Oswegatchie, Chenango, Chemung, Black river, 
etc.; while the St. Lawrence, which carries to the ocean a larger 
body of water than any other river in the world, except the Ama- 



THE MIDDLE STATES. 629 

zon, and is the outlet of the great lake-chain of the north, consti- 
tutes a portion of the northern boundary of the state. The Alle- 
gheny, the Delaware and Susquehanna have their sources in this 
state, and in their first intention possess immense water-power. 
The cataracts, cascades and falls of many of the rivers are distinc- 
tive and distinguishing features of the streams. Prominent among 
these are the falls of Niagara ; the falls of the Genesee, at Roch- 
ester; those of the Mohawk, at Cohoes; Fall Creek, Little Falls, 
Trenton Falls, Glenn Falls, Catskill Falls, etc. 

Its principal lakes are those of Champlain, Oneida, Cayuga, 
Seneca, Canandaigua, George and Chautauqua, etc., all of which 
abound in fish, and are characterized by the most picturesque and 
magnificent scenery. The sea-coast of the state is chiefly com- 
prised in the shores of Long Island. The great depot of com- 
merce of New York is the bay and harbor, one of the most mag- 
nificent on the Atlantic coast. Those of Dunkirk and Buffalo, on 
Lake Erie, are important commercial stations. 

The largest appendage to the state is Long Island, which 
reaches iuto the Atlantic, opposite the southern shore of Connec- 
ticut, a distance of nearly one hundred and fifty miles, its greatest 
breadth being about twenty miles, with an average breadth of ten. 
Its shape has been described as that of an immense whale, 
and a rocky ridge, called the spine, extends likewise nearly 
through it, and at the west end forms the heights of Brooklyn. 
At the mouth of New York harbor is Staten Island, fifteen miles 
long and eight miles broad, detached from Long Island by the 
bay and narrows. 

The climate of the state does not easily admit of description, 
as its phenomena is controlled by locality. Its soils in the river 
depressions and valleys are remarkably productive, and the adop- 
tion of scientific modes of husbandry have imparted a vital stimu- 
lus to the agricultural industries of the state. The valleys of the 
Mohawk, Seneca and Genesee are renowned as remarkable wheat- 
producing districts, and where the lands are of inferior quality the 
substitution of grazing for tillage is accepted. The geology of 
the state has been scientifically explored by authority of the legisla- 
ture, as well as its botanical and animal formations. Its mineral 
wealth is extensive and diversified, consisting of coal, iron, hem- 



630 THE MIDDLE STATES. 

atite and magnetic ores, silver, marble, copper, zinc, arsenic, bis- 
muth, etc. Its forest trees comprise the most important vegetation 
of the state, and are found in marked varieties, as, for instance, 
walnut, beech, white and black oak, maple, ash, elm, hemlock, 
spruce, white and pitch pine, tamarack, red and white cedar, yew, 
etc. 

In the matters of internal improvements New York was the 
first state to take the initiative, having as early as 1825 connected 
the waters of the northern lakes with those of the Atlantic. * In 
point of commerce it greatly surpasses all the other states of the 
Union. The principal part of the imports, and a large portion of 
the exports, are manipulated at the port of its great emporium 
city. Nearly five thousand miles of railroad were completed in 
the state in 1870, at a cost of over two hundred and twenty-five 
million dollars. Its principal cities are New York, Brooklyn, 
Buffalo, Albany, Bochester, Syracuse, Utica, Troy, Poughkeepsie, 
Auburn, Elmira, Oswego, Lockport, Home, Schenectady, Kingston, 
etc. Albany is the capital of the state ; it was orginally a trading- 
post of the Dutch (1623), and was named in honor of the Duke of 
York and Albany, the proprietary of the colony. It is situated 
on the Hudson, one hundred and forty-three miles by railway from 
New York, and is the entrepot of a vast internal commerce, its 
situation for such purposes being unsurpassed. 

Brooklyn, with a population in 1870, of 396,099, is the third 
city in the United States, and is separated from New York City 
by East river, an arm of the sea three-quarters of a mile in width. 
The two cities are connected by means of ferries, which will soon 
be supplanted by the magnificent bridge now in process of con- 
struction. 

West Point, the site of the United States Military Academy, 
is located on the Hudson river, fifty-two miles north of New York 
City, and was established in 1802. In 1777 it was fortified and 
occupied by the American army, a massive chain being drawn 
across the Hudson to prevent, with the aid of the forts, the English 
from ascending the river and communicating with the Canadian 
provinces. 

*See Chronological Eecord, year 1825. 



THE MIDDLE STATES. 631 

New York City, the metropolis of the United States, is situ- 
ated in New York county, on Manhattan Island, the city embrac- 
ing the entire county. The island is two and a quarter miles wide 
at its maximum, thirteen and a half miles long on the west, and 
nine miles in length on the east side. The city was founded by 
the Dutch in 1614; surrendered to the English, 1664; retaken by 
the Dutch, 1673; captured by the British, 1776; evacuated Novem- 
ber 25, 1783; slave market established in 1711; in 1725, the New 
York Gazette appeared; negro plot for the destruction of the city 
occurred 1741-42, twenty negroes hanged, thirteen burned at the 
stake and seventy-eight transported ; battle of Long Island, August 
26, 1776; first meeting of Congress here, 1785; Washington in- 
stalled president of the United States at City Hall, in Wall street, 
April 30, 1789; yellow fever in 1795 and 1805; cholera in 1832- 
34-49 ; great fire swept over forty acres and destroyed twenty mil- 
lion dollars worth of property ; celebration of the completion of 
the Croton aqueduct, October, 14, 1842; first street railway built, 
1852; Central Park commenced, 1858. Population in 1656, 1,- 
000; 1673, 2,500; 1696,4,302; 1731, 8,628; 1756, 10,381; 1773, 
21,876; 1786, 23,614; 1790, 33,131; 1800, 60,489; 1810,96,373; 
1820, 123,706; 1830, 202,589; 1840, 312,710; 1850, 515,507; 
1870, 942,237. 

Broadway, the principal street of the city, is one of the most 
imposing avenues in the world, extending north and south in 
a straight line, with a breadth of eighty feet. The public build- 
ings of the city are massive and substantial, among which may be 
enumerated the new Exchange, Custom House, new Post Office, 
Stock Exchange, City Hall, new Court House, University of the 
City of New York, Academy of Design, etc. Its church edifices 
are costly and splendid ornaments to the city. Of these Trinity, 
on Broadway, is the most distinguished. It is a Gothic structure, 
of solid brown-stone from foundation to spire, with the exception 
of the roof, which is of wood. Although not of a pure Gothic, the 
height of the steeple (two hundred and eighty-two feet) and its 
general architectural beauty make it, on the whole, one of the most 
elegant and cathedral-like piles on this continent. Its theaters are 
well patronized, and the legitimate drama is an established institu- 
tion of the city. The more prominent of these are Booth's, Grand 



fl32 THE MIDDLE STATES. 

Opera House and Wallack's. The provisions of the city for edu- 
cational purposes are upon a scale commensurate to the intelligence 
of its population, while its public libraries are extensive and excel- 
lent, chief of which is the Astor Library, founded by John Jacob 
Astor, and additionally provided for by his son, William B., the 
collection now exceeding one hundred and fifty thousand volumes. 
The New York Society Library was established in 1754, and the 
New York Historical Society in 1804. Its art galleries, scientific 
and literary institutions are of a high order, while its benevolent 
and charitable institutions are organized upon the most philan- 
thropic and exalted basis. The celebrated Croton aqueduct is 
about forty miles long, and commences at the Croton river, 
where the water is collected in an immense dam, from whence it is 
conducted by aqueduct from the Croton river to the receiving reser- 
voirs, which embrace an area of one hundred and thirty-seven acres, 
and possess nearly two billion gallons. It is thence distributed 
throughout the city by means of iron pipes, and in this way are 
the public and private buildings supplied. 

Yerrazano, a Florentine, in the service of France, is said to have 
discovered New York bay in 1524, but the history of the state com- 
mences with the arrival of Henry Hudson, an Englishman, in the 
service of the Dutch, in 1609, who discovered the river Hudson, 
bearing his name, and the island of Manhattan, where the city of 
New York now stands. The Manhattans, who inhabited the 
island, as well as the Mohawks, who occupied the newly-discov- 
ered country, were fierce and formidable nations. In 1610 a ship 
was sent from Amsterdam to trade with the Indians. In 1613 
some few trading posts were built upon the river, and a number of 
houses erected on the island. October 11, 1614, the United New 
Netherlands company* was formed. An armed mercantile associa- 
tion passed the charter of the Dutch West India company in June, 
1621. In 1624 Peter Minuit, with the power of director, arrived 
with several families from the frontiers of France and Belgium, 
and settled on the bay of Long Island. A directorship and council 
of five constituted the government. In 1626 Staten island was 
bought from the Indians, and the same year the entire island of 

*The country extending between the Connecticut and Delaware rivers received 
the name of New Netherlands. 



THE MIDDLE STATES. 633 

Manhattan was sold for twenty-five dollars. The settlers of Ply- 
mouth company, about 1627, advanced a claim to the region wa- 
tered by the Connecticut, which claim was resisted by the Dutch. 
In 1632 Director Minuit was recalled, when the government of 
Van Twiller was installed, who, at the end of five years, was suc- 
ceeded by Kieft. In 1640 emigrants from Lynn, Massachusetts, at- 
tempted settlements. Peter Stuyvesant became governor in 1645, 
his administration closing by the capture of his colony by the 
British, September 6, 1664, after which the name was changed to 
New York, and Colonel Richard Nicolls, appointed by the Duke 
of York, to whom the territory had been granted by the King, as 
its governor, and who, June 12, 1666, granted a charter to the city ; 
August 7, 1673, the colony was recaptured by the Dutch when the 
name of the city was changed to New Orange, and Captain Colve 
appointed governor. It was, however, restored to the English by 
treaty February 9, 1674. " Some doubts existing relative to the 
validity of the Duke of York's patent, both on account of the 
Dutch occupancy, and the fact that it was wrested from that na- 
tion in time of peace, he deemed it advisable to obtain a new pat- 
ent from his brother, the king, in 1764. In the autumn of that 
year Mayor Edmund Andros, afterward so well known as the ty- 
rant of New England, arrived in New York and assumed the of- 
fice of governor. In February, 1685, the duke ascended the 
throne under the title of James II., and among the first acts of 
this bigot were his instructions to allow no printing press to be es- 
tablished in the colony." But his administration was of short 
duration, its termination having been compelled by the revolution 
of 1688, and the proclamation of William and Mary as heritors of 
the throne. War was declared between France and England in 
1744, and the following year New York and New England com- 
bined in an expedition against the French fortress at Louisburg, 
which capitulated in July of that year. 

A constitution for the state of New York was reported in 
March, 1777, by the provincial congress, and on the 20th of April 
following was accepted as the basis of government. Under the 
new constitution George Clinton was elected governor, there being 
at that time but fourteen counties in the state, to-wit : New York, 
Richmond, Kings, Queens, Suffolk, Westchester, Duchess, Orange, 



634 THE MIDDLE STATES. 

Ulster, Albany, Tryon, Charlotte, Cumberland and Gloucester. 
The year 1790 witnessed the amicable adjustment of the difficul- 
ties between New York and Vermont, and the former state, 
within its present limits, unshackled by sectional or territorial an- 
imosities, entered upon its incomparable career of civil and com- 
mercial grandeur. July 26, 1788, it ratified the constitution, it 
being the eleventh state to indorse that instrument. After the 
close of the American revolution the western portion of the state 
was rapidly settled by an enterprising and energetic population. 
The first colonial governor was Joris Adrian (Dutch) 1623, and 
the first under the constitution was George Clinton, from 1789 to 
1795. It was named in 1664 in honor of the Duke of York and 
Albany. Popular name, " The Empire or Excelsior State." 



PENNSYLVANIA. 

Pennsylvania,* one of the original thirteen states, named by 
Charles II. in honor of William Penn, in view of her central posi- 
tion, her immense and inexhaustible natural resources and her 
many systems of transit-lines, occupies a commanding position 
among the great commonwealths of the Union. The state has a 
maximum breadth of 176 miles and an extreme length of 303 miles, 
furnishing an area of 46,010 miles or 29,446,400 acres. Population, 
1790, 434,373; 1800, 602,365; 1810, 810,091; 1820, 1,047,507; 
1830, 1,348,233; 1840, 1,724,033; 1850, 2,311,786; 1860, 2,906,- 
215; 1870, 3,521,951. 

"The surface of the state is level in the southeast, hilly and 
mountainous in the interior, and generally level or arable in the 
west. The Allegheny mountains occupy all the central part, cov- 
ering with their ramifications more than half of its area. Their 
ridgy tracts all tend northeast and southwest, those east of the Al- 
legheny range being abrupt and precipitous, while west the surface 

*William Penn, the illustrious founder of Pennsylvania, was a native of Eng- 
land ; born in London October 13, 1644; emigrated to America in 1682 ; returned 
to England the second time in 1711, burdened and encumbered by debts ; sought to 
negotiate the sale of Pennsylvania to the Crown for 12,000 pounds, but in this 
measure was interrupted by illness, and died July 29, 1718, at Kuscombe, Berkshire 
county, England. 



THE MIDDLE STATES. 635 

inclines toward the Ohio river and Lake Erie in graded slopes. 
The passes of this inner range are about 2,000 feet above sea level, 
the lower valleys of the Ohio, where it leaves the state and the plain 
skirting Lake Erie, being about 800 and 650 feet respectively. 
The inner valley, by which the Susquehanna flows, has but an in- 
ferior elevation above the sea, and it takes up a large area, dividing 
the mountainous belt. The mountains of Pennsylvania are com- 
ponents of the great Appalachian chain, and form a succession of 
ridges, running in parallels, generally in a direction southwest to 
northeast, and presenting, in some parts, summits elevated 3,000 
feet. The principal valleys of the mountain region are those of 
Chester, Wyoming, Lackawanna, Juniata, Cumberland and Mo- 
nongahela. The chief rivers are the Susquehanna, traversing the 
center of the state, and the largest stream flowing into the Atlantic 
in the United States; the Delaware, with its affluents, the Lehigh 
and Schuylkill ; the Juniata, tributary to the Susquehanna ; and in 
the west, the Allegheny and Monongahela, uniting at Pittsburg to 
form the Ohio." * 

The inhabitants of the state are largely devoted to agricul- 
ture, the immense limestone formations assuring to the soil re- 
markable fertility and productive qualities. The anthracite re- 
gion, which is composed chiefly of a rugged and forbidden surface, 
is sterile and unattractive. The valleys between the mountains 
are generally rich in their soils and suited to the cereals and grasses, 
while many of the elevations are cultivated to their summits. 
Westward of the mountains the soil is of deep mold, equal to any 
other section of the country, while to the eastward it amply rewards 
the labor of the husbandman. The climate of the state is inter- 
mediate, or between the extremes of the northern and southern sec- 
tions of the country. The spring and autumn months are the 
pleasantest of the year, and during these seasons the weather is se- 
rene and delightful. The state is regarded as the most salubrious 
on the continent, and life, it is said, is of more than average du- 
ration. 

The growth of forest trees varies according to elevation and 
location, but differ but little perhaps, in their character, from those 

*Zell's Encyclopedia. 



636 THE MIDDLE STATES. 

of other portions of the middle Atlantic region. The following, 
concerning the mineral wealth of Pennsylvania, is quoted from 
Lippincott's Gazetteer. 

" Pennsylvania stands first among the United States in the 
abundance of her coal and iron. Though not possessing a great va- 
riety of rare minerals, and none of the precious metals, she has 
those which have made England the wealthiest and most powerful 
nation on the globe, while Spain and Portugal, with their gold, 
silver and diamond mines, have become poor in natural wealth, 
and have sunk to a low degree of political influence. Owing, no 
doubt, to her homely but useful minerals, Pennsylvania has ad- 
vanced, between 1840 and 1850, in a greater ratio in population than 
even the Empire State (New York), or that vigorous and youthful 
giant of the west, Ohio. The vast anthracite coal fields of Penn- 
sylvania lie mostly between the Delaware and Susquehanna rivers, 
about the head-waters of the Lehigh, Schuylkill and Lackawanna. 
In 1854 this region sent to market 5,919,555 tons of coal; in 1864, 
the product had increased to 10,564,926. Nearly half of this came 
from Schuylkill county. At Blossburg, in Tioga county, and in 
Clinton county, are mines of bituminous coal said to be equal, if 
not superior, to the Newcastle coal of England; while the region 
around Pittsburg, the commencement of the coal field of the Mis- 
sissippi valley, abounds in coal of the same kind, but little infe- 
rior in purity. Cannel coal of fine quality is found in Beaver 
county. The bituminous coal mined in western Pennsylvania in 
1864 was estimated at 3,000,000 tons. Petroleum abounds in the 
western part of the state. The best evidence of the quality and 
excellence of the iron of Pennsylvania is the fact, according to 
the census report of 1850, that nearly half of the pig, cast and 
wrought iron manufactured in the Union was from her forges and 
furnaces. This state also abounds in lime, marble, slate, and stones 
suitable for building. Marble is particularly abundant in Chester 
and Montgomery counties. The most important copper mines in 
Pennsylvania are in the same counties. Zinc is mined in the vi- 
cinity of Bethlehem, plumbago in Bucks county, and lead in Ches- 
ter and Montgomery counties. A bed of this mineral, of great 
richness, is reported to have been discovered recently in Blair 
county. Chromium occurs in Chester and Lancaster counties. 



THE MIDDLE STATES. 637 

Scattered over the state are some of the following minerals : 
titanium, plumbago, magnetic iron ore, iron pyrites, magnesia, 
talc, asbestos, barytes, zircon, tourmalin, marl, etc. Salt springs 
exist on the Monongahela, Kiskeminitas and Beaver rivers, and in 
other parts of the state. Nearly 12,000,000 bushels of salt were 
manufactured here in 1860. Nitre or saltpeter has recently been 
discovered in an extensive deposit and of great richness, in the cen- 
tral part of the state. The production of petroleum is a great in- 
terest, and large quantities are exported." 

As a manufacturing state Pennsylvania is entitled to the 
highest rank and importance, being justly celebrated, not only for 
the working of iron and the manufacture of steel and glass, but 
also for her textile industries. Her position is most import- 
ant in the manufacture of yarn and cotton stuffs. Steam engines, 
machinery, cutlery, nails, stoves, leather, chemicals, etc., are all 
products of her scientific and mechanical skill. Since 1825 the 
state has made marvelous advances in her great systems of internal 
improvement. In 1868 there were over 4,000 miles of railway 
within its borders, costing over $200,000,000, and over 1,000 miles 
of canal communication, at a cost of $40,000,000. The principal 
towns and cities of the state are, Philadelphia, Pittsburg, Alle- 
ghany, Harrisburg, Scranton, Lancaster, Reading, Erie, Easton, 
Norristown, York, Carlisle, Allentown, Pottsville, Williamsport, 
Oil City, Wilkesbarre, Altoona, etc. 

Harrisburg, the capital of the state, is situated on the east bank 
of the Susquehanna, about one hundred and ten miles north of 
Washington. 

Philadelphia, the metropolis of the state, and the second 
city in the United States, was settled by a colony of Swedes 
in 1627. In 1682 William Penn arrived, and the following year 
the city was laid out, with a population of about 2,500. In 1729 
Independence Hall was commenced, and completed in 1734. Sep- 
tember 4, 1774, the first colonial congress assembled. July 4, two 
p. m. , the Declaration of Independence was read from the steps of 
the hall. The autumn of the same year congress retired to Balti- 
more. September 26, 1777, the city was taken by the British and 
occupied to June, 1778, during which time a census was ordered by 
the British General Cornwallis, showing the population to be 21,- 



638 THE MIDDLE STATES. 

767. The sessions of Congress were continued in the city after its 
evacuation by the English up to 1800, when Washington became 
the capital of the nation. 

Independence Hall is an unpretending structure of brick, char- 
acterized by little save its aspect of antiquity and the historical 
reminiscences surrounding it. The Bell of Independence is sus- 
pended above the vestibule entry, beneath the steeple, and was 
cast by Messers Pass & Stowe, in Philadelphia, early in 1753, from 
the metal of a bell cast in London, and which arrived in the city 
by the ship Matilda, Captain Budden, in August, 1752. This orig- 
inal bell was cracked before it came formally into use ; the first 
casting from its metal was not fully satisfactory, and a second 
attempt produced the bell now shown, which was placed in the 
State House steeple in June, 1753, and is the one which actually 
announced the Declaration of Independence nearly a quarter of a 
century after its erection. 

This bell was emphatically the " Town Bell " for more than 
half a century. It was cracked in tolling the announcement of the 
death of a celebrated citizen. Its successor was cast by J. Wilbank, 
of Philadelphia, and placed in the new steeple then just finished, 
September 11, 1828. It was taken down to give place to the one 
presented along with the Centennial Clock, by Mr. Henry Seybert, 
A. D. 1876. The Wilbank bell is now on the Town Hall at Ger- 
man town. 

The public buildings and edifices of the city are massive and 
beautiful, and rank among the finest in America. 

Girard College, United States Custom House, the Mint, State 
House, Merchant's Exchange, Masonic Temple, etc., are handsome 
and imposing structures. Its scientific, literary and educational in- 
stitutions are noted for their high standards of excellence. Inde- 
pendence, Washington, Rittenhouse, Logan, Franklin, Jefferson and 
Norris squares are handsome enclosures, beautifully and elegantly 
adorned with fountains, trees and shrubbery. Fairmount park, 
where the great Centennial exhibition was held in 1876, in its en- 
vironments and peerless scenery, is unequalled by any other park 
in the world. Distinguished as the great Quaker City, and founded 
by William Penn, it has the additional honor of urning the ashes 
of the immortal Franklin. Its population in 1870 was 674,022. 



THE MIDDLE STATES. 639 

The United States mint was established by an act of Congress, 
April 2, 1792, after which a building was soon erected on the east 
side of Seventh street, above Market, for the use of the mint. The 
first director was David Rittenhouse, who was appointed by George 
Washington, April 14, 1792. The first money coined by the au- 
thority of the United States was in 1793. The coins first made 
were copper cents. In 1794 silver dollars were made. In 1795 
gold eagles were made. The metal first used, as well as the ma- 
chinery, was imported, great trouble having been experienced in 
procuring a supply of copper. The first copper used in the mint 
came from England. In 1816 steam was introduced, prior to that 
the work having been done by hand or horse-power. The corner 
stone of the present edifice, on the north side of Chestnut street, 
below Broad, was laid July 4, 1829, by Samuel Moore, who was 
then director, but it was not ready for occupation until May, 1833. 
The structure is of marble, in the Grecian architecture, and was 
made fire proof in 1854. 

From a work entitled The Navigator, published by Zadok 
Cramer, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, in 1808, we extract the follow- 
ing, concerning the Iron City: 

" Pittsburg is delightfully situated at the head of the Ohio river, 
on the plain or point of land formed by the junction of the Alle- 
gheny and Monongahela rivers ; the former running from th^ north- 
east, and the latter from the southwest, making an angle where 
they unite of about thirty-three degrees. On the point stood the 
old French garrison known by the name of Fort Du Quesne, which 
was evacuated and blown up by the French in the campaign of the 
British under General Forbes, in 1758. The appearance of the 
ditch and mound, with its salient angles and bastions, are still to be 
seen. 

" Just above Fort Du Quesne is the remains of the garrison 
built by General Stanwix, called Fort Pitt, after the late Earl of 
Chatham, and is said to have cost the British nation sixty thousand 
pounds sterling, about $266,666.66. The bricks which composed 
the walls of this garrison have been applied to building houses, 
which are distinguishable from the rest of the brick houses in town 
by the whiteness of the color impressed on them by the strength 
of the lime and cement used in their first application. 



640 THE MIDDLE STATES. 

" Within the embankment are still some of its barracks and a 
strong stone powder magazine, the only remains of the British 
buildings. 

" Fort Pitt, being included in one of the manors of the Penn 
family, was sold by the proprietaries, and now makes a part of the 
town of Pittsburg, though its banks and ditches form a considera- 
ble obstruction to its being regularly built on, and very much spoil 
the beauty of the view from the head of Liberty and Penn streets, 
to the Monongahela river. 

"Fort Fayette, the present garrison, built in the year 1792, is 
also within the borough, and stands on the Allegheny river. 

" In the year 1760, a small town, called Pittsburg, was built 
near Fort Pitt, and about 200 familes resided in it; but upon the 
Indian war breaking out in May, 1763, they abandoned their 
houses and retired into the fort. 

" The bottom or plain on which Pittsburg stands would seem, 
from circumstances, to have been made ground, and the Allegheny 
river to have once washed the base of Grant's hill ; but through 
time and accident, found its way by small progressions, from that 
hill to its present bed. There are two rises, or what are called first 
and second banks, running parallel with that river, which would 
seem to have once formed its eastern margin. These elevations 
make beautiful situations for either gardens or buildings. In dig- 
ging wells in the town, the various kinds of sand and gravel are 
found as appear on the beaches and in the beds of the rivers; pieces 
of wood and strata of dirt and leaves are also frequently discov- 
ered eight or ten feet below the surface. The Allegheny is now 
working itself back again. It has washed away about fifty or sixty 
feet of ground on its eastern bank within thirty years. 

" This plain, which is of a rich sandy loam, is about half a mile 
in width from the Allegheny to the point of Grant's hill, its widest 
part; thence up that river it gets narrower, until about four miles, 
where the hill closes to the river bank. But the town may extend 
as far as the Two Mile run ; the bottom that distance is spacious, 
and well calculated for building on. It is now enclosed in or- 
chards, meadows and grain fields, and produces fine crops of each. 

"The present town of Pittsburg was first laid out in the year 
1765 ; it was afterward laid out and surveyed in May, 1784, by 



THE MIDDLE STATES. 641 

Colonel George Woods, by order of Tench Francis, Esq., attorney 
for John Penn, Jr., and John Penn. The beauty and very com- 
manding situation of the place has increased its buildings, popula- 
tion and business beyond all calculation. It now contains about 
five hundred dwellings, the greater number perhaps wood, some 
stone, and many elegantly built with brick, two and three stories 
high. The public buildings are : A large and spacious court house 
handsomely built with brick ; a large brick market house ; these 
are placed in the public square, having Market street running be- 
tween them ; a stone jail ; a bank established here January 1, 1804, 
being a branch of the Pennsylvania bank, also of stone ; a large 
stone house on the bank of the Monongahela, four stories high, 
built by the Evans's of Philadelphia, for a steam grist and paper 
mill, not yet in motion ; a handsome octagon Episcopal church ; a 
handsome and spacious Presbyterian church ; a Covenanter's, Ger- 
man Lutheran, and a Roman Catholic church, and an academy, all 
of brick ; a large and convenient frame warehouse, for the storage 
of goods, at the end of Wood street, on the bank of the Monon- 
gahela, built and owned by Mr. Thomas Cromwell. 

" It is highly probable that Pittsburg will become, from the 
many advantages which nature has placed within the grasp of its 
inhabitants, added to those which may arise from the addition of 
art, one of the most considerable inland manufacturing towns in the 
United States. Indeed we can draw at this time a tolerable good 
picture of our future eminence by a view of the present state and 
number of our manufactories, artists and mechanics, each pursuing 
his business in a manner perhaps unparalleled, for vigilance, in- 
genuity and industry. 

"The inhabitants (souls) of this place are about three thousand 
in number; they are a mixture of many nations, principally, how- 
ever, Americans; a good many Irish, and some English, some 
Scotch, some French, Dutch and Swiss, and a few Welch and Ital- 
ians. To be thus brought together from all quarters, with their 
various fashions, prejudices and passsions, in religion and politics, 
they are generally friendly to each other, hospitable, and disposed 
to encourage each in his particular business in proportion to the 
appearance of industry and good behavior. 
41 



642 THE MIDDLE STATES. 

* Talents and education are not deficient in Pittsburg. The 
bar and pulpit are well filled. Some of our lawyers are perhaps 
not excelled by any in the United States, either for eloquence or 
legal knowledge. The benefit of well regulated schools, the cir- 
culation of public prints, and a public library, form the basis of 
the minds of the people. The free use of these keeps them in the 
habit of thinking, reflecting, and acting deliberately ; and in all 
public and national concerns enables them to act as becomes the 
free citizens of a great and independent nation, with firmness and 
unanimity. Theatrical performances are sometimes attended 
to by the young gentlemen of the place, by way of improvement 
to themselves, and amusement to the town ; not for gain. An Ap- 
pollonian society forms also a school for improvement in instrumen- 
tal music ; while masters are employed for teaching the government 
of the voice in sacred harmony. 

" On the other hand, the education of young ladies is by no 
means neglected ; their minds are early impressed with the habit of 
industry ; at the same time they are engaged in learning the use of 
their needle, pencil, music and dancing, having already acquired 
the more useful branches of education, reading, writing, arithme- 
tic, grammar, geography and letter writing. 

"Pittsburg is the seat of justice for Allegheny county, Penn- 
sylvania, and has, with justice, been emphatically called the " Key 
to the Western Country." It is three hundred miles west by north 
of Philadelphia, two hundred and fifty-two from Washington 
City, about three hundred and thirty-five from Lexington, Ken- 
tucky, and about eleven hundred from New Orleans by land, 
though two thousand by water. It is in latitnde forty degrees and 
thirty-five minutes north ; longitude eighty degrees and thirty- 
eight minutes west, being about five degrees westward of Phila- 
delphia. 

" The fogs on the rivers, though sometimes very heavy, prove 
rather salubrious than otherwise ; being the exhalations of the sun 
during the day, from limpid streams, and the moisture of a fragrant 
and luxuriant wood. 

" On entering the town the stranger is rather offended with its 
dark and heavy appearance. This arises from the smoke of the 
coal, which is used as the common fuel ; and of which about one 



THE MIDDLE STATES. 643 

hundred and seventy thousand bushels are consumed annually. It 
costs six cents a bushel at your door, and is said to be equal to any 
in the world. Our rough hills are filled with it, and our rooms in 
winter feel the effects of its warmth and cheerfulness. Wood, as 
an article of fuel, costs two dollars a cord, delivered. The abund- 
ance and cheapness of coal will be peculiarly advantageous to Pitts- 
burg in her progress in arts and manufactures. Coal Hill, on the 
south side of the Monongahela, abounds in coal ; and a pit in it is 
said to have taken fire about the year 1765, and continued burning 
for eight years ; and another pit on Pike run, which burned for 
ten years. This is a high and steep hill, and its top affords a hand- 
some prospect of the town and rivers below it. 

" From the immense quantity of coal burnt there arises a cloud 
of smoke which hangs over the town in a body, and may be seen 
at two or three miles distance ; when in the town, this cloud of 
smoke is not discovered, and the place soon becomes familiar to the 
eye, while the ear is occupied with the mixed sounds of the im- 
plements of industry, from four o'clock in the morning till ten at 
night. 

" Pittsburg is a place of general deposit for goods going from 
the seaports to the westward. By an act of Congress it is made 
a port of clearance for all goods, wares, etc. 

" From the year 1802 to 1805 the following vessels were 
lauched at the ship-yards : The ships Pittsburg, Louisiana, Gen- 
eral Butler, and Western Trader ; Brigs, Nanina, Dean, and Black 
Walnnt ; Schooners, Amity, Allegheny, and Conquest. The Mo- 
nongahela Farmer and brig Ann Jean were built at Elizabeth- 
town. 

The Pittsburg of 1879 presents an amazing contrast with the 
Pittsburg of seventy years ago. Next to Philadelphia, it is the lead- 
ing city in the great state of Pennsylvania, with a population in 
1870 of 86,076. Its site is that of a vast amphitheater, the rivers 
flowing in channels from four hundred and fifty to five hundred 
feet below the highest peaks of the adjacent hills, which are full 
of bituminous coal, easily mined, and contributing to it the im- 
mense manufacturing facilites for which it is world-renowned. 
From the lofty spurs of the hills and mountains surrounding it the 
views and scenery are most picturesque and grand. The city is 



644 THE MIDDLE STATES. 

compactly and massively built, and, owing to its geographical po- 
sition, and its railway and river communications, it has become 
one of the great commercial and manufacturing centers of the 
continent. Its public buildings, Postoffice, Custom House, Court 
House, etc., are of handsome design and in the excellencies of arch- 
itectural beauty. Its cathedrals and churches (and it may be pro- 
nounced the city of churches) are in the best style of ecclesiastical 
building. Its educational and benevolent institutions are products 
of the intelligence and humane genius of the people. 

A recent writer, in illustrating the magnitude of manufactories 
and factories of the city, said : 

" The real fact is, that actual measurement shows that in the 
limits of what is known throughout the country as Pittsburg, there 
are thirty-five miles of manufactories of iron, of glass, of steel, of 
copper, of oil, of wool, of cotton, of brass, alone, not to include man- 
ufactories in other materials, nor including any of less grade than 
manufactories of iron chains in iron, or plows in wood. A meas- 
urement of the ground also shows that these thirty-five miles of 
factories are so closely contiguous that were they placed in a single 
row each factory would have but four hundred feet of front space 
for its workings. * * * 

" Thus, in a distance of thirty-five miles of streets there are 
four hundred and seventy-five manufactories of iron, of steel, of 
cotton, of oil, of glass, of copper, etc. * * * 

"The territory over and around which this immense chain of 
machinery is strung, though all popularly known as Pittsburg, is 
composed of the city of Pittsburg and the city of Alleghany, the 
boroughs of Temperanceville, West Pittsburg, Monongahela, South 
Pittsburg, Birmingham and East Birmingham, * * * a popu- 
lation in this line of industry numbering 200,000 souls. * * * 
In the great swell of the population of the West, Pittsburg seems 
not only to keep pace and hold her trade, but that trade, like her 
population, seems to increase in arithmetical proportion with the 
growth of the country. 

Considering the industry, integrity, intelligence, morals and 
wealth of her people, it requires no oracle to forecast her future ; 
for it may be said of her, as it was over seventy years ago, that 
" in talent and education she is not deficient ; " that " her bar and pul- 



THE MIDDLE STATES. 645 

pit are well filled," etc. A cursory glance at the footings of her 
coal products demonstrates how inexhaustible are the forces which 
underlie her wonderful development, and what a mighty " magnet 
she possesses to attract to her boundaries minerals and staples 
of all the states, population and wealth." Nor are her astounding 
industries confined to her " black diamond" deposits alone. It has 
been estimated that nearly one-half of the glass manufactured in 
the United States are the products of her factories. In the work- 
ing of iron and steel she maintains almost invincible supremacy, 
and in the production of petroleum the field is largely her own. 

The multiplied diversity of her immense manufacturing enter- 
prises has imparted to her a stamina and solidity of growth pos- 
sessed by few cities in the world. "Although she has grown apparently 
but slowly, yet she has grown like the oak, and but counts her infancy 
in the years in which other cities spring and mature ; and she stands 
like a sooty giant astride the head waters of the Ohio, rejoicing in 
the lusty strength of her fresh youth, while her powerful servant, 
the mighty Genii of the Mine, throughout the waters of the Ohio, 
along the shores of the Father of Waters, around the borders of the 
great lakes, on either hand of the pathway of the iron horse, 
athwart the western prairies, proclaims her the dusky Queen of in- 
dustry, and commands homage to her iron sceptre in three-fourths 
of the states of the Union." 

From the beginning of the eighteenth century till the com- 
mencement of the American revolution the government of Penn- 
sylvania was generally administered by deputies, appointed by the 
proprietaries, who mostly resided in England. In 1627 it was set- 
tled by the Swedes and Fins, but they were conquered by the Dutch 
in 1654. " In 1655 they were compelled by the Dutch to submit 
to the authorities of New Amsterdam, and in 1664 passed under 
the rule of the English. In 1681 Charles II. granted the territory 
west of the Delaware to William Penn, in payment of a debt due 
by the British government to Penn's grandfather. Penn colonized 
his grant at once, with members of his own faith (friends or qua- 
kers), and in 1682 founded the city of Philadelphia. His grant 
included the present state of Delaware, which was then known as 
the " lower counties." In 1699 Pennsylvania granted these coun- 
ties a separate assembly, but they continued subject to the author- 



646 



THE MIDDLE STATES. 



ity of her governor until 1776, when, upon the breaking out of 
the revolution, they formed an independent establishment. Penn's 
charter failed to define with exactness the boundaries of his grant, 
and this led to considerable unpleasantness with the neighboring 
provinces, which was not settled until 1767, when the surveys of 
Mason & Dixon definitely established the boundaries of the prov- 
ince."* The federal constitution was adopted in convention, De- 
cember 13, 1787, by 46 to 23. 

William Penn was the first colonial governor, 1682, and Thomas 
Mifflin, the first under the constitution, from 1790 to 1799. It re- 
ceived its name in 1681, from William Penn. Popular name, " The 
Keystone State." 



NEW JERSEY. 

New Jersey is almost environed by water, the Hudson river, 
the Atlantic ocean and Delaware bay and river, encircling it ex- 
cept on the north. It was one of the original thirteen states. Its 
greatest length north and south is 167 miles ; average breadth 40 
miles, and maximum breadth 58 miles. It includes an area of 7,576 
square miles, or 4,848,640 acres. Population in 1790, 184,139 ; 
1800, 211,149 ; 1810, 245,562; 1820, 277,426 ; 1830, 320,823 ; 1840, 
373,306 • 1850, 489,555 ; 1860, 672,035 ; 1870, 906,096. 

The southern and middle divisions are, for the most part, level 
and sandy ; but the surface of the northern and northwest sections 
is generally diversified, frequently hilly and occasionally mountain- 
ous. The shores of the Atlantic, south of latitude forty degrees, 
are continuously bordered with long, low sand islands. The sec- 
tion of mainland, extending parallel to these islands and of con- 
siderable width, is likewise marshy and low, and the corresponding 
region along the Delaware bay is of the same character. Further 
inland the surface rises, though very gradually and is mainly of 
sandy soil. In the northeast part, along the Hudson river, are 
the Palisades, twenty miles long and from 200 to 500 feet in height. 
A ridge of the Appalachian chain extends across the northwest part 
of the state, on the east side of the Musconetcong river and east 
boundary of Sussex county, comprising Schooley's mountain and 

*McCabe's Illustrated History of the Great Kepublic. 



THE MIDDLE STATES. 647 

other elevations. The extreme northwest part is traversed by the 
Blue Ridge of the same system. 

The more important rivers of the state are the Delaware, sepa- 
rating it from Pennsylvania; the Passaic, Hackensack, Raritan, 
Rahway, Navesink, Shrewsbury, and Little and Great Egg Harbor 
rivers, all discharging themselves into the Atlantic ocean — the ma- 
jority of them being better suited to economic purposes than navi- 
gation. New Jersey possesses but few harbors, although bounded 
on three sides by navigable waters. Between Staten Island and 
Sandy Hook lies Raritan bay, which supplies ready communication 
from Amboy, the principal sea-port of the state, to the Atlantic. 

The climate of the state is diverse and irregular, governed by 
elevations and localities, that of the south and north being percep- 
tibly different. In the swamp and marsh regions, where dank and 
mephitic exhalations inoculate the atmosphere with their poisons, 
agues and malarial fevers of virulent types prevail. But in the 
more elevated portions, the climate is sustaining and salubrious, 
and on the eastern shore, at Shrewsbury and Cape May, in the sum- 
mer season, pleasure seekers and invalids find an attractive resort 
at which they may enjoy many of the luxuries of gay society and 
rustic retirement. 

The productive power of the soils of the state is mostly depend- 
ent on the topography of the country, the agricultural areas lying 
or being comprised in the alluvial valleys. The coast region as 
well as some of the interior ranges are comparatively sterile and 
profitless. Other sections of the state not normally fertile, by the 
introduction of marls and other fertilizing agencies have been stimu- 
lated to remarkable fecundity. The vegetation of the country is sim- 
ilar to that of the central regions of the United States generally. 

The middle or central division is the best cultivated, most 
highly improved and wealthiest portion of the state. It has been 
described as a vast " market garden " whose products find quick 
demand in Philadelphia and New York. The apples grown in 
this region are equally popular with the peaches and other semi- 
tropical fruits and vegetables of the southern section. Geological 
explorations have demonstrated that throughout the state, in the 
hillier portions, the most valuable minerals are deposited. In the 
county of Sussex are found the most important zinc mines of the 



648 THE MIDDLE STATES. 

country. The most beautiful marble, susceptible of finest polish, 
exists at Mendham, and is adapted to uses of ornamental architec- 
ture, and which has the strongest resemblance to the marble of 
Florence. Copper is found in considerable quantities, and iron oc- 
curs abundantly in all its forms. Limestone, copperas, glass-sand, 
slate, peat beds, and vast depositions of marl are found, the latter 
affecting a complete metamorphosis in soils to which it is accus- 
tomed. Manufacturing is conducted on a large scale, and many 
of the establishments of the state illustrate the economic value 
of first-class water-power. 

Newark, the largest city of New Jersey, is situated on the 
Passaic river, on a fertile plain, and slightly elevated above the 
river. Trenton is the capital of the state, and is located on the 
east side of the Delaware river. It possesses a fine site for manu- 
facturing purposes, with abundant water-power. It was settled 
about 1720, and memorable for the battle of Trenton, on the night 
of December 25, 1776, when Washington crossed the Delaware 
and captured the Hessians of the British army. 

The earliest settlement of New Jersey was made by the Dutch, 
in 1612. The territory comprised in the state was included in the 
patent granted by Charles II. to his brother, the Duke of York, 
in 1664, and in the same year conveyed to Lord Berkley and Sir 
George Cartaret, when it received the name of New Jersey. It 
then contained but a few families. March 3, 1677, New Jersey 
was divided into two provinces, East Jersey and West Jersey. In 
1682 East Jersey was transferred to Willian Penn and eleven asso- 
ciates, and Robert Barclay, the celebrated author of the "Apology 
for the Principles of the Quakers," was appointed governor. In 
1702 East and West Jersey were again united into one province by 
the name of New Jersey, under the governor of New York ; and 
this connection with New York continued till 1738, when a sepa- 
rate government was instituted, which lasted until the American 
revolution. New Jersey adopted the federal constitution by a 
unanimous vote in 1787. The first colonial governor was Lord 
Cornbury, 1730, and the first under the constitution was William 
Livingston, from 1789 to 1794. It received its name in 1664 
from the island of Jersey, on the coast of France, the residence of 
Sir John Carlaret. 



THE MIDDLE STATES. 649 

DELAWARE. 

Delaware is the smallest of the United States except Rhode Is- 
land, with a length of 97 miles, by a maximum breadth of 37 miles, 
possessing an area of 2,120 square miles, or 1,356,800 acres. Pop- 
ulation in 1790, 59,096 • 1800, 64,273 ; 1810, 72,674 ; 1820, 72,749 ; 
1830, 76,748; 1840,78,085; 1850, 91,532; 1860, 112,216; 1870, 
125,015. It was one of the original members of the Union. The 
principal portion of the state lies on the Atlantic plain ; its eastern 
slope being washed by the Delaware bay. Its coast furnishes no 
good harbors, but presents many long sandy beaches to the waves. 
Agriculture is one of the principal vocations of the inhabitants; but 
in sections where there is abundance of water-power manufactures 
have long been in existence, and are in a prosperous condition. 
The soils in the northern parts of the state, along the Delaware 
river and bay, are productive, and adapted to most agricultural 
staples, but in other localities, as along the shore, it is of inferior 
quality. Dover is the capital of the state, and is in Kent county, 
fifty miles south of Wilmington, and five miles from the Dela- 
ware river. 

Delaware was first settled by the Swedes and Fins, under the 
patronage of Gustavus Adolphus, and received the name of New 
Sweden. They were subdued in 1655 by the Dutch, who in turn 
surrendered it to the English in 1664, and named it Delaware. 
In 1682, when the state of Delaware, as a county, was granted to 
William Penn, under the same executive and legislative govern- 
ment with Pennsylvania, it was then, as it is now, divided into three 
counties, New Castle, Kent and Sussex, and generally styled, until 
the American Revolution, " the Three Lower Counties upon the 
Delaware." In 1701, the representatives for Delaware withdrew 
from those of Pennsylvania. The first legislative assembly met at 
New Castle, in 1704, and it ever afterwards continued distinct from 
that of Pennsylvania, though the same governor presided over both 
provinces till the 4th of July, 1776. On the 20th of September of 
this year it adopted a state constitution, and on the 7th of Decem- 
ber, 1787, it ratified the constitution of the United States. 

William Penn was the first colonial governor, and Joshua Clay- 
ton the first under the constitution, from 1789 to 1796. It was 



650 THE MIDDLE STATES. 

named Delaware in 1703 from the bay on which it lies, and which 
received its name from Lord De La War, who died in this bay. 
Popular names, " The Blue Hen, or Diamond State." 



PAET XIII. 

THE SOUTHERN STATES. 
MAEYLAND. 

The extreme length of the state of Maryland, one of the orig- 
inal thirteen, is nearly 200 miles, and its greatest breadth 120 miles. 
It is estimated there are contained in its superficies 11,124 square 
miles, or 7,119,360 acres, a considerable portion of which is cov- 
ered by the waters of Chesapeake bay, with its various inlets. Pop- 
ulation in 1790, 319,728; 1800, 341,548; 1810, 380,546; 1820, 
407,350; 1830, 447,040; 1840, 470,019; 1850, 583,034; 1860, 
687,049 ; 1870, 780,894. 

The surface of this state is naturally divided into three distinct 
regions or geographical sections. The first comprises the east part 
of the state, and is divided by the Chesapeake bay into unequal 
sections called the eastern and western shore, which are much alike 
in their general features of low and level surface and sandy soil. 
The second extends between the head of tide-water and the moun- 
tainous district, and is characterized by hills of moderate elevation 
and a belt of stratified rock of variable width. The third division 
consists of the mountainous district, which comprises the north- 
west part of the state. The Chesapeake bay extends about 120 
miles within the state and divides it into two portions ; it has a 
mean breadth of 15 miles, and is throughout navigable for large 
ships. It is distinguished for the quality, variety and multitude of 
game which it supplies, no less than for the endless quantity of 
oysters which it furnishes, and is withal one of the loveliest ex- 
panses of water imaginable. 

With the exception of areas of sterile lands in proximity to the 

(651) 



652 THE SOUTHEKN STATES. 

coast the soils of the state are remarkably fertile. They are 
adapted to most of the cereals,jnore especially to IndiaD corn. To- 
bacco is one of the great staples, and in some districts is almost 
exclusively grown. Its minerals are coal, iron, cobalt, lime, porce- 
lain-clays, alum, magnesia, marble, etc., and gold, copper and traces 
of nickel have been discovered. It must be admitted that in the 
extended range of its geologic formations Maryland is favored with 
solid physical elements of prosperity. 

Annapolis was made the capital of the state in 1689 (then called 
Providence), and is situated on the west side of the Severn river, 
three miles from the Chesapeake bay. It is the seat of St. John's 
College, founded in 1784, and of the United States Naval Acad- 
emy, established in 1845. Baltimore, a great commercial city, 
and, next to St. Louis, the most populous of the southern states, 
was founded in 1729, and named from Lord Baltimore. In 1765 
it contained but fifty houses. It was chartered as a city in 1797, 
and in 1870 had a population of 267,354. 

The first colonial governor was Lyonel Copley, 1692, and the 
first one under the constitution was John Eager Howard, from 1788 
to 1792. 

In 1632 Maryland was granted by Charles I. of England to 
Sir George Calvert (Lord Baltimore) ; but before the patent was 
completed he died, and the patent dated June 20, 1632, was given 
to his eldest son Cecilius, who succeeded to his titles, and who, for 
upwards of forty years, directed, as proprietor, the affairs of the 
colony. Leonard Calvert, brother to Cecilius, Lord Baltimore, was 
appointed the first governor, and he, together with about two hun- 
dred persons, commenced the settlement of the town of St. Mary's, 
in 1634. These settlers of Maryland were refugees from ecclesias- 
tical tyranny, and have been denominated by historians the " Pil- 
grims of St. Mary's." The first governor was Leonard Calvert, 
and the first legislative assembly met in 1639. From the close of 
the French war to the opening of the revolution, the history of 
Maryland, like that of many of the other colonies, is a narrative 
of violence and wrongs upon public liberty, attempted by the royal 
government and resisted by the people. August 14, 1776, the del- 
egates who had been elected to frame a constitution and state gov- 
ernment assembled; by September 10, reported a constitution and 



THE SOUTHERN STATES. 653 

bill of rights, which was adopted November 3, and elections or- 
dered to carry it into effect. In pursuance of the constitution the 
elections took place in November, and the legislature convened at 
Annapolis, February 5, 1777. February 13 Thomas Johnson was 
chosen the first constitutional governor of Maryland. The federal 
constitution was ratified April 28, 1788. The name Terra Marise 
or Maryland, was assigned it in honor of Henrietta Maria, queen 
of the reigning monarch. 



DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 

The District of Columbia was organized under the first article 
of the constitution of the United States : " Congress shall have 
power to exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever, over 
such district (not exceeding ten square miles) as may, by cession 
of particular states, and the acceptance of Congress, become the seat 
of* the government of the United States/' etc. In pursuance of 
which provision the state of Maryland, December 23, 1788, passed 
" an act to cede to Congress a district of ten miles square in this 
state, for the seat of the government of the United States." And 
the state of Virginia, December 3, 1789, passed " an act for the ces- 
sion of ten miles square, or any lesser quantity of territory within 
this state, to the United States, in Congress assembled, for the per- 
manent seat of the general government. These cessions were 
accepted by Congress, as required by the constitution, and the per- 
manent seat of government established by the " act for establishing 
the temporary and permanent seat of the government of the United 
States," approved July 16, 1790, and the act to amend the same, 
approved March 3, 1791. 

The district of ten miles square was accordingly located, and 
its boundaries and lines particularly established by a proclamation 
of George Washington, president of the United States, March 30, 
1791, and by the a act concerning the District of Columbia," ap- 
proved February 27, 1801, Congress assumed complete jurisdic- 
tion over the said district, as contemplated by the framers of the 
constitution. 

The capital was so called in honor of George Washington ; Dan- 
iel Carroll, David Stuart and Thomas Johnson being the commis- 



654 THE SOUTHERN STATES. 

sioners who decided the name. In 1800 the public offices were 
removed from Philadelphia. On the third Monday of November of 
that year, Congress first met, and the act assuming jurisdiction was 
approved, February 27, 1801, by President John Adams. The 
city was laid out by L'Enfant, a Frenchman, who built the city 
hall in New York, where Washington was inaugurated president, 
and by whose direction he made the plan of the capital. A man 
named Pope once owned the site of the city, and named it Rome. 

The city was incorporated May 3, 1802. The area of the dis- 
trict was originally 100 square miles, now, about 60. Population 
in 1850, 51,687; 1860, 75,080; 1870, 131,700. In 1846 that por- 
tion of the district lying south of the Potomac was retroceded to 
Virginia, by act of Congress. Slavery was abolished in the dis- 
trict by act of Congress, approved April 16, 1862. 

The government consists of a governor and an assembly. The 
governor receives his appointment from the executive, by and with 
consent of the senate. The district is represented by one delegate 
in Congress, and the inhabitants thereof are not permitted to vote 
for the president or vice-president of the United States. 



VIRGINIA. 

Virginia, one of the original thirteen states, has an area of 37,- 
352 square miles, or 23,905,280 acres; its greatest length, from 
east to west, about 425 miles; mean length, 350 miles; mean 
breadth, 210 miles; extreme breadth, 280 miles. Population in 
1790, 747,610; 1800, 880,200; 1810, 974,600; 1820, 1,065,116; 
1830, 1,211,405; 1840, 1,239,797; 1850, 1,421,661; 1860, 1,596,- 
318; 1870, 1,225,163. 

" No state in the Union presents a greater variety of surface 
and climate than Virginia — from the mountains of the interior, and 
the rugged hills east and west of them, to the rich alluviums of the 
rivers, and the sandy flats on the sea-coast. The greatest extent of 
mountains, and the greatest variety of timbers are found in this 
state." * 

The state is characterized by boundless areas of mineral wealth, 

* General John B. Imboden. 



THE SOUTHERN STATES. 655 

and in some localities the more precious deposits are found. In 
Fauquier county, copper ores prevail that carry a high percentage of 
purity. Gold, iron, lead, lime, salt, gypsum, marls, alum and magne- 
sian earths; granite, marble and sandstones represent the diversity 
of its deposits. Beds of bituminous coal of remarkable thickness 
are found near Richmond, and anthracite of great purity is found 
in the valley from the Potomac to the James. Salt springs are of 
frequent occurrence, and the mineral waters of the state have long 
been distinguished for their great efficacy and health-giving quali- 
ties. 

The soils of the state are naturally of a productive nature, but 
require judicious management and the application of fertilizers to 
insure a uniform fertility. Large quantities of tobacco are annu- 
ally raised in the basins of the James, York, Potomac and Rappa- 
hannock rivers. The valley of Virginia is well adapted to the 
production of cereals, its soil being extremely rich. Cotton is also 
raised in some sections of the state. Beyond the mountains, and 
westward to the Ohio river, is a fine country, suited in its climate 
and soil to the tillage of all the grains and general products of the 
middle states, and correspondingly favorable to the raising and 
breeding of cattle. A distinguishing feature of Virginia is its 
magnificent and picturesque natural scenery, the natural bridge be- 
low Lexington being, according to Thomas Jefferson, " the most 
sublime of nature's works." 

Throughout the state exist a variety of caves and subterranean 
recesses. What was originally known as Weir's cave is very ex- 
tensive, and "its numerous halls and chambers are pillared with an 
astonishing profusion of stalactites, which, in some places, resem- 
ble stiffened water-falls, in others hanging in rich festoons and folds 
like tapestry, or seem to rise from the floor like columns, thrones, 
towers or statues. It extends one thousand two hundred and sixty 
feet into the ground, and contains upwards of twenty large rooms, 
besides numerous passages and galleries. One of these halls is 
two hundred and sixty feet in length, thirty-three feet high and 
from ten to twenty feet wide ; and another is one hundred and 
fifty-three by fifteen feet, with a height of sixty feet." * 

Richmond is the county seat of Henrico county and the capital 

* Colton's Gazeteer. 



656 THE SOUTHERN STATES. 

of the state, and is situated on the northeast bank of James river. 
The site of the city was first visited by the whites about 1609. The 
town was founded in 1742, and made the capital of the state in 
1780. In 1811, December 26, occurred the destructive conflagra- 
tion by which seventy-two lives were lost in the burning of the 
theater, the governor of the state being included in the number, 
It was assaulted and captured by the British under Benedict Ar- 
nold in 1781. In 1800 its population was 5,737, and in 1870, 51,038. 
Virginia, known as the Old Dominion, was named by Sir Walter 
Raleigh, in honor of Elizabeth, England's virgin queen. He had re- 
ceived grants of the country from her, and attempted to colonize it, 
but failed ; and subsequently, upon his attainder and execution, these 
grants were forfeited or vacated. It was first settled at Jamestown, 
in 1607, by a party of 105, sent out by the London company. The 
government of the colony was originally administered by a council of 
seven persons, with a president, among whom, in the first council, 
were Gosnold, John Smith,* John Ratclifte and Edward Wingfield. 
Afterwards it was administered by a governor, appointed, except 
during the commonwealth in England, by the Crown. Wingfield 
was the first president, but from unprincipled and criminal conduct 
was expelled, Ratcliffe being chosen as his successor, but who, on 
account of incapacity, was deposed to give place to John Smith. 
Through the efforts and indomitable resolution of Smith the for- 
tunes and destiny of the struggling colony were, in a measure, pre- 
served. Of his conflict and capture by the Indians, his death- 
sentence by Powhattan and its revocation by the heroic interposition 
of his daughter Pocahontas, all readers of American history are 
cognizant. The situation at Jamestown, and the manner in which 
matters were conducted, proving unsatisfactory to the English com- 
pany, and impressed with the idea that a new charter, with a wider 
range of privileges, would materially augment their profits, they 
applied and procured one in 1609. The government of the col- 
ony in their hands, Lord Delaware was appointed governor for 
life, and five hundred emigrants sent to Virginia. Sir Thomas 
Gates, Christopher Newport and Sir George Somers having been 
appointed to administer the affairs of the colony, until the new gov- 

* John Smith was a native of Willoughby, county of Lincolnshire, England, 
where he was born in 1579. He died in London in 1631. 



THE SOUTHERN STATES. 657 

ernor would arrive, were at once sent to Virginia, bringing with 
them accessions to the colonial population. Captain Smith, feeling 
that his authority was superseded, did not exert himself to main- 
tain his power, which partial abandonment on his part resulted in 
confusion and disaster. Alarm and excitement becoming prevalent, 
at the solicitation of a number of the leading colonists he once 
more renewed his duties, soon, however, to relinquish them, this 
time by compulsion, as he encountered a serious accident from an 
explosion of gunpowder. Things did not prosper now, in the 
colony, and its members became addicted to vice and idleness. 
The calamities of famine and spectral forms of starvation shad- 
owed the little settlement; the Indians grew fierce and predatory, 
and what was known as the " starving time," was visited upon the 
colony. Of the five hundred persons Captain Smith left behind 
him, it is instanced that in six months not more than sixty remained. 
In this agony of distressful gloom and bitter disaster Lord 
Delaware arrived in 1610, with provisions and supplies, when con- 
tentment was speedily restored, and the era of prosperity com- 
menced. In 1619 the first legislature was convened, and during 
this year "twelve hundred colonists were sent over, including ninety 
respectable young women, who were sold to the planters as wives 
for one hundred pounds of tobacco (worth $75), the price of their 
passage from England. One hundred felons were also sent over 
from the English prisons, by the express order of the king, and 
sold to the colonists as slaves. In the same year a Dutch trading 
ship anchored in the James, and sold a number of slaves to the 
planters, thus introducing African slavery into the New World." * 
The population of the colony is described as consisting of "15,000 
English and 350 good English servants." In 1641 Sir William 
Berkeley, a stout royalist, was appointed governor. From 1619 
to 1775 Virginia possessed a legislative body of her own, known 
as the House of Burgesses. In 1662 the Church of England was 
re-established by law, severely proscribing " Non-Conformists, 
Quakers and Anabaptists." In 1671 the population was supposed 
to be " 40,000, including 2,000 black slaves and 6,000 Christian 
servants, of whom about 1,500 were imported yearly, principally 

* McCabe. 

42 



658 THE SOUTHERN STATES. 

English. " The latter were chiefly composed of convicts. During 
the revolution in England, Virginia clung closely to the cause of 
the monarch, and even after the death of Charles I. refused to ac- 
knowledge the commonwealth. Her submission was coerced by 
directing against them an armament; but the sentiments of the col- 
onists were again avowed, for even before the restoration in Eng- 
land, the authority of Charles II. had been acknowledged in Vir- 
ginia. But in the face of this loyalty of the inhabitants they were 
victimized by the cupidity and arbitrary monopolizing system of 
the home government. By a patent of the king (Charles II.) a 
grant of the colony was made to Lords Arlington and Culpepper, 
two of his favorites, and the grinding extortion of taxation by 
Berkeley, who had been re-elected governor, induced what is 
known as the " Bacon Rebellion/' 1676. On the return of Berke- 
ley to England he was succeeded by Lord Culpepper, who brought 
with him a number of bills drafted by the English ministry, the 
object of which was the increase of his emoluments, the assent of 
the legislature to which he required upon the condition of being 
treated as rebels. 

" During the reign of Charles II. and James the colony suffered 
much, and rejoiced greatly in the change of government that drove 
the Stuarts from the throne." In 1732 she gave birth to her most 
illustrious son, George Washington. In 1689 she acquiesced, 
though with considerable reluctance, in the advent of William and 
Mary to the throne of England. Slaves were declared by law to 
be real estate in 1705. The capital of the colony was established 
at Williamsburg in 1698, and was named in honor of William III. 
She promptly denounced and opposed the stamp act of 1764-5. 
In 1769 she renewed her protest against the oppressive taxation of 
the colonies, upon which the assembly was dissolved by Lord Bot- 
etort, the governor. In 1775 a collision occurred between the 
English executive and the colonists, and in 1776 Lord Dunmore 
bombarded Norfolk. In 1779 Matthews, the British general, de- 
stroyed Norfolk, took Portsmouth and Gosport, and captured and 
burned one hundred and thirty merchant vessels, besides some 
ships of war in process of building. In 1781 Arnold seized and 
burned the town of Richmond, and in the latter portion of the 
same year the eastern part of the state was invaded by Cornwallis, 



THE SOUTHERN STATES. 659 

destroying and stealing over ten million dollars worth of property. 
His capture, October 19, 1781, substantially ended the war. Vir- 
ginia adopted the constitution of the United States June 25, 1788. 
The first colonial governor was Sir Thomas Smith, in 1606, 
and the first under the Constitution was Beverly Eandolph, from 

1788 to 1799. Popular name, " The Old Dominion, or the Mother 
of States." 



NORTH CAROLINA. 

North Carolina, one of the original thirteen states, presents a 
broad front to the Atlantic, which gradually contracts in its breadth 
until, in the westward part, it terminates in a narrow strip. Its 
extreme length from west to east is 450 miles, and its width in the 
eastern portion from 120 to 180 miles, but in the west diminishing 
from 90 to 20 miles. Its estimated area is about 50,704 square 
miles, or 32,450,560 acres. Population in 1790, 393,751 ; 1800, 
478,103; 1810, 555,500; 1820, 638,829; 1830, 737,987; 1840, 
753,419; 1850, 869,039; 1860, 992,622; 1870, 1,071,361. 

The surface of North Carolina is naturally divided into three 
principal parts. The first borders the ocean, and extends inward 
about sixty miles ; this is mainly a low, sandy district, and contains 
many extensive marshes and swamps, and is generally covered 
with forests of pitch-pine. The second division embraces the cen- 
tral part of the state, and the surface is hilly and undulating. The 
third section comprises the table-land and mountain region, which 
includes extensive tracts adapted to pasturage and tillage. The 
mountain ridges are more elevated than is usual in so great an ex- 
tent of the Appalachian system. Mount Buckley, the highest peak 
in the chain, attains an altitude of 6,775 feet above tide-water. 

The coast line of the state is long, and abounds in many and 
deep indentations. Large shoals extend from the shore seaward, 
and render navigation hazardous, and desperate gales prevail, very 
frequently with most fatal effects. The capes, shaped and formed 
by the islands of sand, are the terror of the hardiest mariners. 
Capes Fear and Lookout convey by their very names their surround- 
ing perils. Cape Hatteras, the elbow of a triangular island form- 
ing the seaward limit of Pamlico sound, is the most formidable 



660 THE SOUTHERN STATES. 

headland of all. The couplet of the old mariners of the Atlantic 

runs, 

" If Bermuda lets you pass 

Then look out for Hatteras." 

To the north of Albermarle sound lies the great Dismal swamp 
(immortalized in the verse of Moore), extending into Virginia, 
and covering an area of 150,000 square miles. The climatic con- 
ditions are such that no specific description would apply to the 
entire state, it being largely controlled by the irregularities and 
diversities in the surface figure. " The soil is very various; allu- 
vial and peaty accumulations abound near the coast and along the 
rivers, while in the middle and western regions it is mainly of 
granitic origin, and represents every grade of sandy, clayey loam of 
various fertility. " 

The mineralogy of the state has been scientifically examined, 
and its resources in this respect are valuable and extensive. Iron 
and coal are the most important minerals found in the state ; the 
lodes of the former comprising the hermitites, and the magnetic 
and specular ores. Bituminous and semi-bituminous coals prevail. 
Among the other mineralogical varieties are gold, silver, copper, 
graphite, porphyry, etc. Cotton is also produced in some sec- 
tions of the state. The manufacture or distillation of turpentine 
and tar are large and remunerative industries of the inhabitants. 
The pine forests enhance very materially the general wealth ; sup- 
plying lumber for manufactories and exportation, besides furnish- 
ing large proportions of the resinous matter consumed in the 
United States. 

Raleigh, situated in Wake county, is the capital of the state, 
and occupies an elevated and pleasant situation in a healthy coun- 
try. It was chosen as the seat of government, 1788, and named af- 
ter Sir Walter Raleigh.* No permanent settlement was made in 

*Raleigh was born in Devonshire, England, 1552. In 1584 he visited North 
Carolina and Virginia. For years he basked in the sunshine of royalty, but was 
finally stripped of his honors and preferments, being arrested, tried and condemned 
for high treason. He was incarcerated in the tower of London for thirteen years, 
during which time he wrote the History of the World, and other works. After his 
release he was again arrested, in consequence of certain misdemeanors, and, on his 
former sentence, was unceremoniously decapitated at Westminister, in 161 8. Au- 
brey says of him: " He was a tall, handsome and bold man; but his na?ve was, 
that he was damnable proud. He had a most remarkable aspect, an exceeding 
high forehead, and long-faced." 



THE SOUTHEKN STATES. 661 

the state of North Carolina until 1663, although a settlement was 
attempted as early as 1585, on Roanoke Island, the patron of the 
colony being Raleigh, u to whom Queen Elizabeth granted, in 1584, 
a patent for such lands as he might discover in America, 'not pos- 
sesssed by any Christian people/ " In 1630, in the reign of 
Charles I. , a tract of land south of the Chesapeake, designated as 
Carolina,* was granted to Sir Robert Heath, which, as he estab- 
lished no colony, was revoked. In 1663, out of the same territory 
was formed the province of Carolina, and by charter conveyed to 
seven noblemen of Britain. The famous metaphysician and phil- 
osopher John Lockef was the originator of its constitution, 
which continued in operation only about a quarter of a century, it 
being both complicated and monarchical. In 1769 North Carolina re- 
monstrated against the right of the home government to levy taxes, 
and in 1774 she sent representatives to the first continental Con- 
gress, who joined in the declaration of colonial rights. Her 
union with the other colonies in support of the Declaration of 
Independence bears date of April, 1776. She ratified the federal 
constitution November 21, 1789. Charles Eden was the first col- 
onial governor, 1715, and Alexander Martin, the first under the 
constitution, from 1789 to 1792. Carolina was so called by the 
French, in 1564, in honor of King Charles IX. of France. Pop- 
ular name, " North Carolina, the Old North, or Turpentine 
State. " 



SOUTH CAROLINA. 

South Carolina, one of the original thirteen states, forms an ir- 
regular triangle, of which the base is the Atlantic ocean, embrac- 
ing an area of about 34,000 square miles, or 21,760,000 acres. Pop- 

*On March 20, 1663, the territory which now comprises the states of North and 
South Carolina, and the greater part of Georgia, was granted by Charles II. to the 
Earl of Clarendon and seven others, who were constituted proprietors. The colony 
was named Carolina, and the government was vested in the hands of the proprie- 
tors. The proprietary government lasted about fifty years, when it was abolished by 
the people ; and the government was afterwards directed by governors appointed 
by the king. Carolina was divided in 1729 into North and South Carolina. 
[Maegregor.] 

tBorn in England in 1632, and died in 1704. 



662 THE SOUTHERN STATES. 

ulation in 1790, 249,073; 1800, 345,591; 1810, 415,115; 1820, 
502,741 ; 1830, 581,185; 1840, 594,398; 1850, 668,507; 1860,703,- 
708; 1870,705,606. 

The whole territory is a portion of the great Atlantic slope, its 
northwest boundary being formed by the Blue Ridge. The sur- 
face is hence naturally divided into parallel sections, according to 
their elevation, as parts of the slope.. These divisions are princi- 
pally three. The tract bordering the ocean is very low ; occupied 
in part by cypress swamps and reedy marshes, traversed by slug- 
gish streams, and to a great extent covered with large forests of pitch- 
pine. The western portion of this tract, as it becomes more ele- 
vated, is more arid, but the soil is still nearly level and sandy. In the 
second, or what is known as the middle or " wave region," the sur- 
face is rather undulating, modestly swelling and dipping in dells 
and bluffs, yet mostly occupied by pine wood ; the soil is a mellow, 
brown loam, and fertile in the valleys. This section ends abruptly 
in joining the third part, called the ridge ; the surface quickly 
rises, and continues to rise with varied character until it ends with 
the Blue Ridge, in which there are a number of elevated peaks, 
of which Table mountain, attaining an altitude of four thousand 
feet, is the highest. The coast is indented by several extensive 
bays, some of which are deep enough to admit of navigation. The 
harbor of Beaufort is one of the best in the southern states, that 
of Charleston being obstructed by a difficult sand-bar. 

The climate of the state is said to resemble that of Italy and 
the south of France, being situated midway between the frigid 
northern regions and the burning tropic suns. Her products are 
cotton, rice, tobacco, wheat, barley, rye, oats, Indian corn, hemp, 
Irish potatoes, etc. The tea-plant is successfully cultivated, and 
great varieties of garden plants flourish. To the four great mate- 
rials for human clothing, cotton, wool, silk and flax, her climate, 
soil and location are peculiarly adapted. The soil is of great di- 
versity, being clayey, loamy or mixed, according to geographical 
position; that of the lower levels and. bottoms being alluvial and 
generally rich. 

Iron of superior quality is found in the state. Gold, silver, 
copper, lead, coal, bismuth, plumbago, limestone, red and porphyritic 
granites, etc., are located in different sections, while glass sand, 






THE SOUTHERN STATES. 663 

porcelain clays, materials for pottery, and arenaceous (sandy or fri- 
able) quartz prevail in many districts. 

Columbia, the capital of the state, is situated on an elevated 
plain, and was founded in 1787, and is regarded as one of the 
beautiful cities of the South. Here is situated the University of 
South Carolina, a Roman Catholic college and a theological insti- 
tution of the Presbyterian church. 

Charleston is one of the venerable and ancient cities of the 
country, and is situated about seven miles from the Atlantic on a 
tongue of land between the Ashley and Cooper rivers, which unite 
immediately below the city, and form a spacious harbor. It was 
founded by the English about 1680, and three years thereafter was 
incorporated as a city. At an early period its population was en- 
hanced by contributions from Barbadoes and accessions of French 
Huguenots. In 1776 General Moultrie, with a small force of 
men, successfully defended the fort on Sullivan's Island against 
a British fleet under Sir Peter Parker. In May, 1780, the city 
was surrendered to Sir Henry Clinton, who held possession of it 
until 1782. The American commander, General Lincoln, with- 
stood the siege with great fortitude, and refused to capitulate un- 
til the city was seriously damaged and the inhabitants starving. 
Its population in 1870 was 48,956. 

In 1562 South Carolina was first settled by a colony of French 
Protestant exiles, and in perpetuation of the title of their mon- 
arch, Charles IX., King of France, named it Carolina. The nu- 
cleus of the population of the state was established at Port Royal, 
in 1670. In 1671 the colony removed to the banks of Ashley river, 
and founded old Charleston ; nine years thereafter (1680) remov- 
ing to the site of the present city of Charleston. The philosopher 
Locke framed a mode of government and laws for this state con- 
sisting of one hundred and twenty articles, alike feudal and aristo- 
cratic in their principles and spirit. " Three classes of nobility 
were established, viz. : Barons, Caciques and Landgraves. The 
first were to possess twelve thousand, the second twenty-four thou- 
sand, and the third forty-eight thousand acres of land, which was 
to remain unalienable in their families. The legislature consisted 
of only one house, and was composed of the lords proprietors, the 
nobility and deputies chosen by the few inhabitants holding herit- 



664 THE SOUTHERN STATES. 

able property. This plan of government, ill-suited to the views 
and conditions of the people, produced discord and anarchy. Its 
spirit was adverse to a democracy, and encouraged the proprieta- 
ries in arbitrary proceedings."* 

But ecclesiastical contentions were the great and prolific sources 
of discord and commotion. In 1703 the Church of England was 
established by legal statutes. In 1729, the people preferring a mon- 
archy to an oligarchy, the colony became a royal province, the king 
purchasing the rights of the proprietaries. 

Henceforth the colony was controlled in the same manner as 
the other governments, and its growth in population was rapid. 
The Dutch of !New York, who were subjected to expulsion, and 
the French Protestants escaping from oppression, the result of the 
revocation of the Edict of Nantes,t fled to the new colony. The 
growth and development of the country was much retarded by the 
French, Spanish and Indian wars from the beginning of the eight- 
eenth century to the general peace of 1763. From this period un- 
til the revolution the colony enjoyed a period of peace and pros- 
perity. The patriotism and chivalrous courage that animated the 
sons of South Carolina brighten the pages of American history, 
and the names of Sumter, Marion, Pickens, Pinckney, etc., are 
blazoned on the shafts of an immortal renown. The sieges and 
battles of the revolution occurring within the borders of South 
Carolina are thus chronologically recorded : 

Fort Moultrie, June 28, 1776; Port Royal, 1779; St. John's, 
1779; Monk's Corner, April 14, 1780; Charleston, May 12, 1780; 
Camden, August 16, 1780; Broad River, October, 1780; Tyger 
River, October, 1780; Coivpens, January 17, 1781; Fort Watson, 
April 14, 1781; Holkirk's Hill, April 25, 1781 ; Ninety-Six, June 
18, 1781 ; Eutaw Springs, September 8, 1781. Those in italics 
indicate American successes. During the revolution she nobly 
responded to every demand of patriotism, and furnished states- 

*Gazetteer of the United States. 

tThis was the celebrated Edict of Nantes by which Henry IV. of France 
granted toleration to his Protestant subjects, 1598. It was revoked by Louis XIV., 
October 24, 1685. This bad and unjust policy lost to France eight hundred thou- 
sand Protestants, and gave to England (part of these) fifty thousand industrious arti- 
zans. — [Anderson's Origin of English Commerce.] 









THE SOUTHERN STATES. 665 

men and soldiers of which she may feel proud. May 23, 1788, 
she adopted the federal constitution by a vote of one hundred 
and forty-nine to seventy-three. 

William Sayle was the first colonial governor, 1670, and Charles 
Pinckney the first under the constitution, from 1789 to 1792. 
Popular name, " Palmetto State." * 



GEORGIA. 



Georgia, the most remotely south of any of the original thir- 
teen states, has an extreme length from north to south of 320 miles, 
its greatest breadth being 254 miles, possessing an area of 58,000 
square miles, or 37,120,000 acres. Population in 1790, 82,548 ; 
1800, 162,868; 1810, 252,433; 1820, 340,985; 1830, 516,823; 
1840,691,392; 1850, 906,185; 1860, 1,057,286; 1870,1,184,109. 

The surface of the state is much varied in character and eleva- 
tion, and its climate, soil and productions are commensurately di- 
versified. As is noticeable from the course of all its larger rivers, 
the surface is signalized by a regular slope in a southerly direction. 
The region bordering the Atlantic, and for fifty or sixty miles in- 
land, is very marshy, some of the swamps being very extensive, 
prominent among which, is the Okefinoke, one hundred and eighty 
miles in circumference, lying inland, along the border of and 
partly within Florida. This section forms about one-third portion 
of the plain of tertiary formation, which is from one hundred to 
one hundred and fifty miles broad, and swells up to a line passing 
near the head of navagation of the Savannah, Ogeechee, Oconee 
and Ocmulgee rivers, where it meets a primary formation. The 
primary formation crosses the state in a southwest direction, above 
the falls of the rivers just mentioned, with a breadth of one hun- 
dred and sixty miles at the northern, and of one hundred miles at 
the southern limit. Beyond this, on the northwest side of the pri- 
mary belt, the surface rises by a series of parallel and undulating 
ridges to the Blue Ridge mountains, which are from 1,200 to 4,000 
feet high. 

The coast line of Georgia is characterized by a consecution of 

*See North Carolina. 



666 THE SOUTHERN STATES. 

low islands, intersected by many channels, susceptible of inland 
navigation all along the shore. These are usually separated from 
each other by bays or sounds, which bear their names and receive 
the waters of this section. The principal islands are Ossabaw, St. 
Catharine's, Sapello, St. Simon's, Jykill, Cumberland, etc., which 
are covered with rich plantations, and produce the long staple cot- 
ton, called, from the place of its growth, sea island cotton. 

The soils of the state are of exceeding fertility ; those of the 
islands and lower regions consisting of rather light, gray sand, per- 
ceptibly approaching a darker and more gravelly formation to- 
ward the interior. A black loam, with a component of red earth 
is found further north, which, in turn, is succeeded in the more re- 
mote sections with a strong, black mold of unsurpassed produc- 
tiveness. Cotton is the great staple, though wheat, rye, oats, barley, 
maize, tobacco, sugar-cane, indigo, rice, etc., are raised. 

The climate is delightful but variable, the southern and middle 
portions of the state being hot, while in the northern and more 
mountainous regions it is cool. Gold, silver, copper, iron, lead, 
coal, manganese, graphite, antimony, zinc, granite, marble, lime- 
stone, gypsum, sienite, marl, jasper, amethyst, cornelian, chalce- 
dony, rose quartz, agate, garnets, etc., constitute the chief mineral 
features of the state. The gold district, in the northern part of 
the state, has contributed no inconsiderable amount to the wealth of 
the country. 

One of her representatives in Congress, Mr. Stephens, in a 
speech to that body once said : 

" Georgia has her beds of coal and iron ; her lime, gypsum and 
marl ; her quarries of granite and marble. She has inexhaustible 
treasures of mineral, including gold, the most precious of metals. 
She has a soil and climate suitable for the growth and culture of 
every product known to husbandry and agriculture. A better 
country for wheat and corn, and all the cereal plants, to say noth- 
ing of cotton and tobacco, is not to be found in an equal space on 
the continent. There, too, grow the orange, the olive, the vine 
and the fig, with forests of oak and pine sufficient to build and 
mast the navies of the world. She has mountains for grazing, riv- 
ers for commerce, and water-falls for machinery of all kinds, without 
number." 



THE SOUTHERN STATES. 667 

The water power of the state is unsurpassed, there being up- 
ward of fifty streams within its border, worthy of the designation 
of rivers. "The streams of this state alone," says an authority, 
" which pour the volume of their waters from the mountain springs 
into the bosoms of the Atlantic ocean and the Gulf of Mexico 
would supply sufficient power, in the eligible sites, to manufacture 
all the cotton grown in the world, or to grind all the grain grown 
within the limits of the Union." In the more elevated portions 
of the state are found the pine, palmetto, oak, ash, cypress, hick- 
ory, black walnut, cedar, mulberry, etc., while the magnolia, canes, 
gum woods of different species, tulip, sweet bay, etc., constitute 
the aborescence of the riparian bottoms. 

Atlanta, the capital of the state, is located in Fulton county, 
and had a population in 1870 of nearly 17,000. In 1847 it was 
chartered as a city, and in 1868 became the capital. Milledgeville, 
the original seat of government, was founded in 1803, and in 1810 
had 1,256 inhabitants, and in 1870 a population of 2,750. It 
is built on a somewhat uneven site, in the midst of a rich and 
populous cotton-growing district. Atlanta is a prosperous and en- 
terprising city, and its rapid growth is largely due to the energy 
of its people and the various lines of railway by which it is 
accessible. 

Macon and Columbus are handsome and attractive cities, the 
former possessing, in 1870, a population of 10,810, the latter 7,401. 
Macon is situated on the Ocmulgee river, which is navigable for 
steamers of light tonnage, and is considerably devoted to manu- 
factures. Many of its public buildings are fine and some of its 
private residences elegant. Columbus is situated on the Chatta- 
hooche; is well built, and gracefully adorned with the verdure of 
the south. It enjoys favorable railroad facilities, and is quite a 
center of trade. 

Augusta is situated on the Savannah river, 135 miles northwest 
of Charleston ; is an important commercial point, and the depot of 
an extensive fertile country; it was laid out in 1735, and incorpor- 
ated as a city in 1817. Its population in 1870 was nearly 16,000. 

Savannah is a prosperous city, and one of the most beauti- 
ful on the southern coast. Its site is on the Savannah river, 
eighteen miles from the Atlantic ocean. Population in 1870, 28,- 



QQS THE SOUTHERN STATES. 

235. Says McCabe : u Its streets are wide and straight, and at every 
other corner there is a public square, usually circular or oval in 
shape, planted with the Pride of India. The streets are broad, 
unpaved, and densely shaded with magnificent trees. Broad and 
Bay have handsome turfed promenades in the center, with car- 
riage ways on each side. Its beautiful streets have gained for 
Savannah the name of the " Forest City of the South. " " The squares 
are ornamented with handsome fountains, statues, monuments, etc. 
In Johnson's square stands a monument erected to the memories 
of Generals Greene and Pulaski. It is of pure white marble, and 
stands on the spot where Pulaski fell, in the attack on the city by 
the American army, in 1779." 

Georgia was the last settled of the original thirteen states. The 
colony was founded under charter granted by George II., 1732, to the 
" trustees, for the establishing of the colony of Georgia." " The 
double purpose of making the settlement was to relieve the dis- 
tress of the poor at home, and to secure the frontiers of the Car- 
olinas from the Indians and Spaniards. In 1773, General Ogle- 
thorpe, one of the trustees, conducted the first colonists to the Sa- 
vannah, and several bodies of Germans and Highlanders were soon 
after brought over. The lands were held on a military tenure. 
The country was repeatedly traversed by the Spaniards from 
Florida, who considered the occupation of the English as an en- 
croachment upon their domain. In 1752 the proprietary government 
was abolished, and Georgia became a royal colony." The original 
limits of the state imcluded the territory now divided into the 
states of Alabama and Georgia. A constitution was framed March 
26, 1776 ; amended March 19, 1788, and June 3, 1790. The con- 
stitution of the United State was ratified January 2, 1788. James 
Edward Oglethorpe was the first colonial governor, 1732, and 
George Walton the first under the constitution, from 1789 to 1790. 
It was named in honor of King George II. 



FLORIDA, 



Florida, lying south of Alabama and Georgia, with the Atlantic 
ocean washing four hundred and seventy-two miles of its eastern 



THE SOUTHERN STATES. 669 

border, and a coast line of six hundred and seventy-four miles on 
the Gulf of Mexico, embraces an area of 59,286 square miles, or 
37,931,520 acres, and in proportion to its area has a more extended 
coast line than any other political division of the Union. Popu- 
lation, 1830, 34,730; 1840, 54,477; 1850, 87,445; 1860, 140,524; 
1870, 187,748. 

The largest portion of the state is compassed in the peninsula, 
which is three hundred and seventy-five miles in extent from north 
to south, with an average width not exceeding ninety miles. The 
surface of this peninsula is comparatively level, nowhere rising 
into mountains or hills; but along the coast it is low, gradually ris- 
ing to an altitude not exceeding three hundred feet in the interior, 
while the whole surface is fanned by the Gulf winds on one side 
and the trade winds of the Atlantic on the other. There are, in 
many parts of the state, extensive tracts of swamps and large 
lagoons, and many low and wet localities, yet the soil is rich, pro- 
ducing luxuriant growths of indigenous vegetation. 

A very striking geographical feature of Florida is the ever- 
glades, which occupy a portion of the lower part of the peninsula. 
South of the mainland, and extending from Cape Florida, on the 
peninsula, a series of islands, sand banks, reefs or keys, attached and 
belonging to the state of Florida, extend south-westward a distance 
of two hundred and twenty miles in a curve, terminating in a cluster 
of sand banks and rocks, known as Tortugas. These keys are 
separated from the mainland by Florida Bay, Bay Biscayne, 
Carp's and Barnes' Sounds. South of this series of keys, with a 
navigable channel intervening, lies the Florida Beef, being a long, 
narrow coral reef, here constituting the left bank of the Gulf Stream. 

The general character of the soil is light, sandy loam, with inter- 
mixture of clay, lime and organic matter. Independent of the 
everglades and swamps, there is but a small proportion of worth- 
less lands compared with many other sections of the country. 
Probably no part of the United States is capable of furnishing 
more extensive varieties of natural products and bringing them to 
as high a degree of perfection as the state of Florida. In the 
northern portions the cereals, fruits and vegetables indigenous to 
the north temperate zone may be produced, while the semi-tropical 
fruits find a responsive soil and climate. Although the state lies 



670 THE SOUTPIEKN STATES. 

south of the great corn-growing belt, this staple is produced in all 
parts of the state, and is a most desirable article of food. Cotton 
and sugar cane are cultivated, and the production of the sweet po- 
tato is a great and growing interest. Some of the low lands are 
well suited for raising rice, and certain regions along the coast are 
adapted to the growth of Cuba tobacco. It is asserted also that some 
portions of the state along the Atlantic seaboard are adapted to the 
culture of coffee. Almost every variety of garden vegetables ar- 
rives to great perfection in Florida. 

In its wonderful diversity of fruits, embracing those of the 
temperate zone, and many which mature only under the gracious 
influences of a tropical sun, Florida is entitled to the wreath and 
palm. It is the great orange-growing country of the continent. 
The lemon, peach, quince, apricot, nectarine, pimento, lime, olive, 
citron, guava, pecan-nut, pomegranate and grape, likewise attain a 
rich development in this state. Experience has proven that the 
pine-apple, cocoa-nut, almond, and Trinidad date may be success- 
fully cultivated. 

Among the more prominent forest trees are the live, red, white 
and water oaks, cedar, cherry, cypress, hickory, elm, pine, ash, gum, 
magnolia, birch, walnut, mahogany and dogwood, while in the 
southern section of the state, and on the keys, are lignum-vitse, 
boxwood, mastic, satin-wood, palmetto and crabwood. 

Florida possesses attractions in the salubrity of its climate and 
the splended equipoise of its temperature. The northeastern coast 
is especially healthy, and is a coveted resort for invalids. 

Tallahassee is the capital of the state, and in 1870 had a popu- 
lation of 2,023. It was chosen as the seat of government in 1824. 

Pensacola, on the bay of its name, is a growing city, and was 
settled by the Spaniards, about 1700. The government has a 
naval station here. 

Key West, on the island so called, is a port of entry resting on 
a depressed coral formation. In 1832 the first house was built by 
Colonel Simonton, and in the same year it was made a military 
post. It has a large harbor and is a vital military station. Popu- 
lation in 1870, 5,000. 

" The name of Florida was in the sixteenth, and early part of 
the seventeenth century, indefinitely applied to the territory 



THE SOUTHERN STATES. 671 

now lying south of Virginia. By its charter, the southern bound- 
ary of Carolina was fixed on the twenty-ninth parallel, thus in- 
cluding about one-half of the present state of Florida. In 1738 
the stipulated northern boundary of Florida was a line drawn due 
west from the mouth of the St. John's river (called by the Span- 
iards San Juan) to the little river Vasisa, cutting off all upper or 
continental Florida. At the time of its cession by Spain to Great 
Britain, in 1763, the territory of Florida extended as far west as 
the Mississippi river, including portions of the present states of 
Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. The present boundaries are 
comprised between twenty-four degrees and thirty minutes and 
thirty-one degrees north latitude, and eighty and eighty-seven de- 
grees and forty-five minutes west longitude."* 

The adventures of Narvsez, and the romantic wanderings of 
Ponce De Leon and De Soto, the buccaneering of the English, 
the wars waged with Oglethorpe by the Spaniards, and more re- 
cently the long and bloody Indian wars, have given to Florida a 
greater historic significance than attaches to many other portions 
of the country. In the year 1512, about seven years before the 
invasion of Mexico by Cortes, Juan Ponce De Leon discovered the 
mainland of Florida, on Easter Sunday. After landing at a place 
called the Bay, he took formal possession of it and " planted a stone 
cross in sign of the jurisdiction of Spain." In 1513 he was- designa- 
ted governor of and obtained permission from Ferdinand to colonize 
the "Island of Florida," in which, however, he was unsuccessful. This 
effort at colonization was followed by the disastrous one of Pam- 
philo De Narvsez, in 1558. On May 30, 1539, Hernando De Soto 
landed at what is now Tampa bay, named " Spiritu Santo," by the 
Spaniards. De Soto regarded it as a new Eldorado, and carrying 
a commission from the emperor, undertook its conquest, but being 
stubbornly met by the natives he moved on to the Mississippi, and 
died in the effort to descend to its outlet. The Spanish occupation 
of Florida was strongly resisted by the English colonists of Georgia 
and Carolina. It remained in Spanish possession until 1763, when 
it was ceded to the British, soon after which, it was divided into 
east and west Florida. In 1783 Florida was ceded back to Spain. 

^'Encyclopedia Britannica, p. 338, vol. ix. 



672 THE SOUTHERN STATES. 

In February, 1819, a treaty for its cession to the United States was 
concluded at Washington, and in 1821 was reluctantly ratified by 
the king of Spain, thus terminating a protracted negotiation. Pos- 
session was taken in July by General Jackson, who had been ap- 
pointed governor of the Floridas by the government at Washington. 
The first permanent colony was established at St. Augustine, in 
1565. It was organized as a territory March 30, 1822, and ad- 
mitted into the Union as a state March 3, 1845. William P. 
Duval was the first territorial governor, from 1822 to 1834, and 
William D. Moseley the first state governor, from 1845 to 1849. 
Florida so called in 1572 by Juan Ponce De Leon, because it was 
discovered on Easter Sunday; in Spanish, " Pascua Florida/' 



ALABAMA. 

Alabama lies north of Florida, with a coast line of 60 miles on 
the Gulf of Mexico. Its length is 330 miles; average breadth, 
154, and includes an area of 50,722 square miles, or 32,462,080 
acres. Population, 1820, 127,901; 1830, 309,527; 1840, 590,756; 
1850, 771,623; 1860, 964 201; 1870, 996,992. 

The surface of the southern part of the state is comparatively 
level along the coast, being little above the level of the sea, but 
gradually rising in the interior. In the northern portion the sur- 
face is more elevated and at the same time more rugged. The 
Blue Ridge range of the Allegheny mountains enters the northern 
part of the state near the northeast corner, and extends in a south- 
westerly direction. The mountains become very much depressed 
on reaching the limits of the state, and, strictly speaking, form 
only the southern termination, or the foot hills, of the great Appa- 
lachian chain. 

The soil of Alabama is varied, but usually fertile, and pro- 
ductive of all the staples of that latitude. In the northern part, 
where mountains are the dominant feature of the country, the soil 
on the uplands is generally thin, but well adapted for grazing pur- 
poses, while the valleys are very fertile, producing splendid crops 
of cereals and vegetables. In the central part, where the surface 
is less elevated and broken, extensive prairies or savannas abound, 



THE SOUTHERN STATES. 673 

being well watered and generally well adapted for agricultural or 
grazing pursuits, the bottom lands on the streams being especially 
rich and productive. The southern portion of the state is still 
more level, rising little above the sea-coast, and consists of exten- 
sive prairies, pine barrens and alluvial river bottoms, the latter 
generally of remarkable fertility. The valley of the Tennessee, 
in the extreme northern portion of the state, embracing over seven 
thousand square miles, comprises some of the choicest agricultu- 
ral lands in the state. The great valley of the Alabama, including 
its tributaries, which embraces a very extensive area in the state, 
is one of the most valuable agricultural regions on the continent. 

The climate of the state is equable and moderate, the winters 
being mild, while the temperature in the summer is greatly miti- 
gated by the sea breezes, which render the nights refreshing and 
cool. Its mineral deposits are extensive, varied, and no less valu- 
ble than the products of the soil. The state includes a part of the 
immense bituminous coal field of the United States. Potters', 
porcelain and fire-clays, and materials for the manufacture of hy- 
draulic lime, occur in abundance in the mineral regions. Marbles 
of different varieties, particularly black and variegated, granite of 
fine quality, and ochers, occur in various localites. Gold and cop- 
per have been found in the northeastern portions of the state, but 
not in quantities to pay for exploitation ; also other minerals, such 
as cobalt, syteite, steatite, quartz crystal, etc. 

The cotton region embraces an area of about 11,500 square 
miles, and occupies a belt north of the great timber region, in the 
southern part, extending across the state from east to west, being 
about one hundred miles in width from north to south at the west- 
ern border, near sixty in the interior, between Selma and Mont- 
gomery, and near the latter width at the eastern border. Corn is 
largely cultivated and is next to cotton as a staple. A large area 
of the state, including the valleys of the Alabama and Tennessee, 
is well adapted to wheat, oats, barley, potatoes, etc.; while the soil 
of various sections has proved adapted to the culture of tobacco, 
sugar cane, buckwheat, hops, flax, rice, grapes, and an extensive 
variety of fruits and vegetables. 

The entire state is well watered, possessing several large and 
43 



(574 THE SOUTHERN STATES. 

navigable streams, all of which, with the exception of the Tennes- 
see and the streams flowing into Pensacola and Choctawhatchee 
bays in Florida, unite to form the Mobile river, and ultimately 
discharge their waters into Mobile bay. The timber growth of the 
state consists of yellow pine, oak, cypress, gum, hickory, cedar, 
walnut, poplar, locust, chestnut, maple, elm, mulberry, etc. 

Montgomery is the capital of the state, and is situated on the 
Alabama river. The city is built on a bluff, and in 1870 had a 
population of 10,588. 

Mobile, the largest city in the state, is favorably located at the 
head of Mobile bay, and had a population in 1870 of 32,184. It 
is the most important commercial city in the state, and has an ex- 
tensive foreign and domestic trade, ranking next to New Orleans 
as a cotton market. It was settled by the French under Bienville 
in 1702, and incorporated as a city in 1819. 

Alabama was first visited by the Spaniards, in search of gold, 
as early as 1541, by De Soto, the natives defending themselves ob- 
stinately, inflicting and sustaining severe losses. In 1763 the 
French possessions east of the Mississippi, including Alabama, 
were ceded to England; the state was originally embraced in 
Georgia, but in 1802, became a portion of the territory of Missis- 
sippi. Alabama was admitted into the Union December 14, 1819. 
William W. Bibb was the first governor under the constitution, 
from 1819 to 1820. It was so called in 1814, from its principal 
river, meaning, " Here we rest." 



MISSISSIPPI. 

Mississippi embraces an area of 47,256 square miles, or 30,179,- 
840 acres, with a coast line of 80 miles on the Gulf of Mexico. 
Its extreme length from north to south is 332 miles, and its width 
118 miles on the north boundary, or thirty-fifth parallel, and 189 
on the thirty-first parallel. Population in 1800, 8,850 ; 1810, 40,- 
352; 1820, 75,448; 1830, 136,621 ; 1840, 375,651; 1850, 606,526; 
1860, 791,305 ; 1870, 827,922. 

The surface of this state is generally undulating, level in some 
districts, but nowhere rising into mountains or extensive hills — 



THE SOUTHERN STATES. 675 

geographical features which characterize other sections of the Union. 
The general course of the streams is south and southwest, indicat- 
ing such to be the general slope of the country. A small portion 
however of the area in the northeast is drained by the Tombigbee, 
inclining to the southeast, while the region in the southern part of 
the state, embracing the valleys of the Pearl and Pascagoula rivers, 
seeks the Gulf of Mexico, by a southeastern course. 

The soils bordering on the Gulf are of a sandy order, but very 
productive. The southeastern portion of the state embraces a 
variety of soil and surface, broken in some places, with a poor soil, 
while others are fertile valleys. This is a fine grazing region, and 
cattle-raising is an important interest in that locality. Some cot- 
ton is produced; corn, also, and the various kinds of small grain are 
successfully cultivated. The northeastern part is mostly prairie, 
the soil usually consisting of a dark, heavy loam, highly impreg- 
nated with lime, and the surface covered with luxuriant grass — 
this section including a portion of the great cotton-growing belt in 
Alabama. The lands contiguous to the Mississippi consist, for the 
most part, of alluvial bottoms, in some places one hundred miles 
wide, the soil being exceedingly rich and productive, but liable to 
inundations from the Mississippi. 

The climate of the state is characterized by torrid excesses, but 
its winters have an average temperature a few degrees below the 
same seasons in the same parallels on the Atlantic coast. 

The southern part of the state abounds in yellow pine, of lusty 
growth, and in the swamp and overflowed lands black and white 
cypress occur, the latter being valuable for domestic purposes. In 
the northern section the timber is mostly composed of oak and 
hickory, although the other species found in the state embrace 
black walnut, gum, poplar, magnolia, maple, beech, buckeye, dog- 
wood, persimmon, tulip and papaw. Peaches, apples, plums, figs, 
oranges, and every variety of vegetables are grown. 

Among the field crops, cotton has been the great staple for many 
years. The soil and climate are well adapted to the culture of all 
the crops produced in the same latitude in other regions, including 
corn, wheat, rye, oats, buckwheat, Irish and sweet potatoes. The 
grape is also profitably cultivated in most localities of the state, and 



676 THE SOUTHERN STATES. 

silk culture has received some attention, and the experiments, 
though on a limited scale, have proven satisfactory. 

The mineralogy of the state has not been fully explored, but 
iron, coal and marble have been found in limited quantities. The 
superficial deposit of yellow silicious marl was accumulated just 
prior to the present geological period, after the surface had received 
its present outline by erosion, and contains numerous fresh-water 
and land shells identical with species now living, together with 
bones of extinct animals mingled with the bones of species now ex- 
isting. This formation is super-imposed on beds of the Eocene 
period, which makes its appearance at the foot of the bluffs near 
Yicksburg. 

Jackson, the seat of government, is situated on Pearl river, 
although the most important commercial cities are Natchez and 
Vicksburg, the former two hundred and eight miles above New 
Orleans, and the latter one hundred and twenty miles above the 
former, on the Mississippi. 

Vicksburg is situated on a high bluff, two hundred feet above 
high-water mark, on the east shore of the Mississippi river. The 
country surrounding it is a valuable cotton, tobacco and grain dis- 
trict. It has a large river traffic with New Orleans and other 
places on the river. In 1825 it was chartered as a village, and in 
1836 as a city. Population in 1870, 12,443. 

Natchez, on the Mississippi, is an entrepot of much of the 
internal commerce of the state. As early as 1716 it was settled 
by the French under Bienville, and in 1870 had a population of 
9,057. 

Mississippi was first settled by the French at Natchez, and in 
1716 the colony was nearly destroyed by the Indians. After being 
reinforced by a body of French colonists who had been driven out 
of Nova Scotia upon the English conquest, they succeeded in main- 
taining and extending their territory. They were, however, ousted 
by the English, and the territory was ceded to Great Britain in 1763. 
That part of the present area of the state lying north of latitude 
thirty-one degrees, with that of Alabama, was organized under a 
territorial government by act of Congress, approved April 7, 1798, 
with the consent of Georgia, by which, in 1802, it was formally 
ceded to the United States as a part of the public domain. That 



THE SOUTHERN STATES. 677 

portion of the country south of thirty-one degrees latitude, extend- 
ing from the Pearl to the Perdido river, was originally included in 
the Louisiana acquisition by the treaty at Paris of April 30, 1803. 
Alabama, with its present limits, was detached from the territory 
of Mississippi by act of March 3, 1817, and December 10 follow- 
ing, Mississippi, with its present limits, was admitted as a state un- 
der the constitution. It had been organized as a territory April 7, 
1798. Winthrop Sargent was the first territorial governor, from 
1798 to 1802, and David Holmes the first state governor, from 1817 
to 1819. It was so called, in 1800, from its western boundary, 
Mississippi being said to denote the whole river, that is, the river 
formed by the union of many. Popular name, " The Bayou State." 



LOUISIANA. 

This state is 292 miles in length from east to west, with an 
average breadth of 250 miles, and has an area of 41,346 square 
miles, or 26,461,440 acres. Population in 1810, 76,556; 1820, 
152,923; 1830, 215,739; 1840, 352,411; 1850, 517,762; 1860, 
708,002; 1870, 726,915. 

The surface of Louisana is generally low and level, nowhere 
attaining an elevation of more than two hundred feet above the 
level of the sea. In the south part nearly one-fourth of the state 
lies but ten feet above the Gulf, and is usually inundated by the 
spring floods, much of the southern coast being a permanent salt 
marsh. The bottom lands of the Mississippi, along the whole 
course of the river within the state, on the west side, and on the east 
side from its mouth nearly to the city of Baton Rouge, are subject to 
overflow during high water, and can only be protected from inun- 
dation by the construction of levees along the river. The northern 
and western parts of the state, to the extent of about one-half of 
the total area, are undulating and somewhat diversified by low 
ranges of hills. These parts of the surface are covered with im- 
mense pine forests, interspersed with oak, elm, ash, walnut, sassa- 
fras, mulberry, poplar, hickory, magnolia, and other trees. South 
of the central portion of the state, from the Bayou Teche to the Sa- 
bine river, are vast level prairies, covering about four mill-ion acres 
of land. 



678 THE SOUTHERN STATES. 

The delta of the Mississippi, included between the main stream 
and the Atchafalaya branch, is a sedimentary accretion many hun- 
dred feet in depth. It is about 200 miles in length, with an aver- 
age width of from 60 to 70, containing an area of from 12,000 to 
14,000 square miles, being about as large as the whole valley of 
the Nile from the cataract of Syene to the Mediterranean, and it 
may be said to equal that far-famed valley in productiveness. 

The temperature of the state rarely sinks below the freezing 
point, and, as all parts of the state are daily fanned by the re- 
freshing breeze from the Gulf, the temperature of midsummer sel- 
dom rises as high as in places more remote from the sea in the 
upper valleys of the Mississippi and its tributaries. 

The minerals of the state, especially in the northern and west- 
ern parts, consist of iron, lead, coal, lime, soda, copperas, gypsum, 
marl and potter's earth, the latter found in many localities. Salt 
is also found in nearly every region of the state. The prairies of 
the central and northwestern portions of Louisiana have long been 
celebrated for the vast number of sheep and cattle annually raised 
there for the New Orleans market. 

Its commercial facilities are unsurpassed, the Mississippi flow- 
ing along its borders and through its interior for eight hundred miles. 
Within the state, Red river is navigable for nearly five hundred 
miles, and the Washita, Tensas and Little rivers are navigable for 
five hundred more ; and during high stages of water the La Fourche, 
the Atchafalaya, the Teche,Vermillion and Sabine add eight hundred 
more to river communication. Besides these, Lake Pontchartrain, 
Lake Borgne, Lake Maurepas, Pearl and Amite rivers furnish 
transportation for a large scope of country — the steam commmuni- 
cation being little less than two thousand miles. 

New Orleans, the seat of government of Louisiana, the great 
metropolis of the south and the capital of Orleans parish, is one 
of the old and historic cities of the south. Its history, in the early 
epochs, is that of the whole French settlement in lower Louisiana, 
which will be found variously detailed in different portions of this 
volume. The city was founded in 1717 and named in honor of 
the Due d' Orleans, then regent of France, but the site was aban- 
doned soon after, and not settled again until 1722. In 1745 the 
estimated population was 800 souls, exclusive of 200 soldiers and 



THE SOUTHERN STATES. 679 

300 negroes. In 1815 the British undertook to capture the city, 
but failed. * 

"New Orleans is built around a bend in the river, from which 
circumstance it has been denominated the 'Crescent City/ " Its pub- 
lic buildings are numerous and beautiful, among which may be 
mentioned the United States Custom House, City Hall, Mint, 
Merchants' Exchange, Masonic Hall, Odd Fellows' Hall, etc. Its 
charitable and benevolent institutions are well and effectually con- 
ducted. It abounds in beautiful church edifices. It is pre-emi- 
nently the great cotton mart of the country. Its river trade is 
immense and its coasting and foreign business is commensurately 
vast. Its commercial advantages are truly wonderful. It com- 
mands the outlet of a navigable river extending through twenty 
degrees of latitude, which, with its tributaries, traverses a region a 
million and a quarter square miles in extent, furnishing sixteen 
thousand six hundred and ninety-four miles of steam navigation. 
It is thus brought into direct water communication with a popula- 
tion of twenty millions, certain to exceed fifty millions before the 
end of the present century. Its merchants, through this remarka- 
ble river system, have access to a fertile country as large as Europe, 
from the Atlantic to the Eussian frontier, from the Mediteranean 
to the Baltic, yielding bountifully all the staples of the temperate 
zone. They can collect all the vast surplus produce of this region, 
and ship it in bulk from the upper waters of the Mississippi and 
Missouri to the shores of the Atlantic at less cost for transportation 
than would be required to carry it by rail from the Mississippi to 
the Atlantic seaboard. Population in 1870, 191,322. 

William C. C. Claiborne was the first governor of the territory 
of Orleans, from 1804 to 1812, and also the state governor from 
1812 to 1816. Louisiana, named in honor of Louis XIV. of 
France, known as the " Bayou State." 



TEXAS. 



Texas, one of the southwest states of the Federal Union, has an 
extreme length from southeast to northwest of more than 800 

"^Chronological Record, page 580. 



680 THE SOUTHERN STATES. 

miles, its greatest breadth from east to west being about 750 miles ; 
and having an area of 237,504 square miles, comprising about or 
nearly one-twelfth of the entire Union, or forming a territory six 
times as large as the state of Pennsylvania. Population in 1850 f 
212,592; 1860, 604,215; 1870, 818,579. 

This state may be divided into three physical sections or divi- 
sions of country, viz. : the level, the undulating, and the mountain- 
ous;* or eastern, middle and western Texas. Eastern Texas extends 
from the Sabine to the Trinity ; middle Texas from the Trinity to the 
Colorado, and southern and western Texas from the Colorado to the 
Rio Grande del Norte. The first, or level region, extends along the 
coast, with a breadth inland varying from one hundred to seventy 
and thirty miles. The second division, which is the largest, is the 
undulating prairie region, which embraces the whole of the inte- 
rior and the north, and reaches westward to the mountainous tract, 
which is distant one hundred and fifty to two hundred miles from 
the boundaries of the level lands. Here are the high, rolling, 
verdant prairies, the narrow-wooded bottoms, the beautiful islands 
of timber, the running streams, the cool, refreshing springs, and 
the bracing, invigorating climate of Texas. The soil, though a 
little broken, is not inferior to the lower alluvial regions, produces 
quite as well, and easily cultivated. The third, or mountainous 
division, is situated principally in the southwest part of the state, 
and is represented as being rich in soil and climate, clothed in con- 
stant verdure, beautifully variegated in surface, and watered by 
myriads of beautiful crystal streams. 

No portion of the extensive coast of the Gulf of Mexico pre- 
sents a greater number of commanding harbors, bays and inlets 
than that of Texas. The state abounds in minerals, and is a most 
interesting field for the student in geology. Gold has been found 
along some of the streams, and iron ore pervades great portions of 
the country. Silver, copper, lead, alum and bituminous coal prevail 
in different districts and sections of the state. Soda, potash, as- 
phaltum, agate, chalcedony, jasper, etc., abound. Mineral springs 
prevail, and the climate is delightful and salubrious. The average 
notation of the thermometer in the summer is about eighty de- 
grees Fahrenheit, and balmy breezes from the south blow almost 
without interruption. 



THE SOUTHERN STATES. 681 

The forests of Texas present an infinite variety of timber 
adapted to building and ornamental purposes, those of the live 
oak and cedar being unrivaled. The eastern section is better 
wooded than any, producing pine, oak, ash, walnut, hickory, mul- 
berry, cedar, cypress, etc. The soil is admirably suited to grasses, 
agricultural staples, the western part being the great cattle-herding 
district. 

Among the crops of this state that of cotton stands pre-eminent 
and is a source of great wealth and power. 

Its staple is uniformly good, and near the Gulf it equals in 
length and firmness the Sea Island cotton of Georgia, the climate 
and soil being both especially favorable to its culture. The sugar- 
cane flourishes luxuriantly throughout the entire level region, and 
tobacco is an important production. The fruits of tropical, as well 
as northern latitudes, flourish in Texan soils. The fig is common, 
the peach delicious, the nectarine, quince and grape prolific, and these 
grow and ripen in the same sun with the papaw, plum and apple. 
The orange, pine-apple, lime, lemon and olive mature together. 
Wild fowl and game birds are in profusion, and fish of superb quality 
inhabit its rivers and bays. The cane-brakes are of immense ex- 
tent in the lower country, and on the Caney creek may be seen 
seventy miles long and from one to three miles wide, and in these 
districts cotton, rice and sugar may be grown. 

The rearing and cultivation of live stock is a favorite and profit- 
able occupation of the Texan planters and farmers, and many of the 
prairies are covered with valuable breeds of cattle. In point of 
general and material resources of wealth, Texas may challenge 
favorable comparison with any of her sister states in the great 
circle of the Union. 

Austin, the capital of the state, is situated in Travis county, on 
the north bank of the Colorado, and became the seat of govern- 
ment in 1844. 

Galveston is the commercial emporium of the state, its harbor 
being ample and its anchorage good. It is situated on Galveston 
Island, formerly a resort for pirates, the notorious Lafitte, the 
"Pirate of the Gulf," having erected a fort here. It was discov- 
ered in 1686, and first settled in 1836. The city is well built, has 
numerous large warehouses, wholesale and retail stores, good rail- 



682 THE SOUTHERN STATES. 

road facilities, and in direct ocean relations with New Orleans and 
New York. 

San Antonio, one of the oldest settlements of the country, was 
occupied by Franciscan Monks as early as 1703. Fort Alamo, sit- 
uated here, is forever memorable in history. The city is in a pros- 
perous condition, and contains many handsome residences. A 
United States arsenal is located here. 

Houston is a thriving city; has river connections with Gal- 
veston, and railway communications with other important towns 
of Texas. 

Dallas, in northern Texas, on the Trinity river, is an enterpris- 
ing and flourishing city. 

The French explorer, La Salle, as early as 1687, built a fort 
and established a settlement at Matagorda, the settlers soon there- 
after being expelled by the Spaniards, who, in 1690, formed a mis- 
sion and settlement, but who soon abandoned them. In 1803, 
when Louisiana was ceded by France to the United States, Texas, 
claimed by both Spain and the United States, became a disputed 
as well as a coveted territory. From 1806 to 1816 settlements 
were formed and several attempts made to wrest the country from 
Spain. In 1833 a convention of settlers, twenty thousand in num- 
ber, made an unsuccessful attempt to form an independent Mexican 
state, and in 1835 a provisional government was established, Gen- 
eral Samuel Houston chosen commander-in-chief, and the Mexicans 
driven out of Texas. Santa Anna, then president of Mexico, with a 
force of nearly eight thousand men, invaded the country, and after 
successive victories in several skirmishes, was finally and completely 
routed at San Jacinto, April 21, 1836, by the forces under General 
Samuel Houston,* and Texas became an independent republic. 
No serious efforts having been made by the Mexicans to regain 
Texas for eight or nine years, the political nationality of the coun- 
try was considered as consolidated, and in 1845 it was annexed to 
the United States, but was invaded by Mexico, who never recog- 
nized its independence, the sequel to which was war between the 
two nations. March 6, 1836, forty-five days prior to the engage- 

*The doughty old warrior was made its first president, re-elected in 1841, and, 
on its annexation, in 1845, was sent to the United States Senate, where he remained 
until 1859,when he retired and was elected governor of Texas. 



THE SOUTHERN STATES. 683 

ment at San Jacinto, Fort Alamo became memorable as having 
been the scene of one of the most affecting and thrilling episodes 
of the Texan struggles for independence. Colonel Travis, who com- 
manded the garrison, had only about one hundred and fifty men, 
yet resisted a Mexican force of ten times his number, under the 
cruel leadership of Santa Anna, and rather than surrender, they died 
to a man ; and hence history records it as the Thermopylae of Texas, 
and " Remember the Alamo ! " became the battle-cry of the Texan 
army. Inasmuch as the storming of the Alamo has become famous 
in history, and as it illustrates the peculiar and wonderful courage 
of the Texan soldier, it may not be inappropriate to supply more 
fully an account of that terrific and deadly struggle. 

Santa Anna halted a day on the west bank of the Medina 
river, where he received accurate information as to the strength of 
the Americans in San Antonio. A sudden rain storm made the 
river impassable. Next day he resumed the march, General Mora 
in advance, with orders to seize the mission of Conception — a mas- 
sive stone structure two miles below San Antonio — deemed by Santa 
Anna as a more defensible stronghold than Alamo. A cannon shot 
was fired when the head of the advancing column reached the ceme- 
tery. The town was not defended, and Colonel Mora was ordered 
to take position north and east of the Alamo, to prevent the escape 
of the garrison. This was late in February, 1836. Santa Anna led 
four thousand men and awaited the coming of General Talza with 
two thousand more. A battalion crossed the San Antonio river and 
took possession of houses below the Alamo to build a bridge across 
the river. Thirty men of two companies, sent the next day to 
make a reconnoisance, were killed. A light earth-work was thrown 
up above the Alamo. The firing from the fort, now invested, was 
ceaseless. An earth-work nearer the fort was constructed at night. 
On the third day of March General Talza arrived, and the plan of 
assault was defined and made known to the division commanders. 
On the 5th of March scaling ladders were distributed. At three 
o'clock on the morning of the 6th, ever memorable in song and 
story, the battalion Matamoras was moved to a point nearer the 
river and above the Alamo. They were supported by two thou- 
sand men under General Cos, this wing of the army being com- 



6g4 THE SOUTHERN STATES. 

manded by General Castrilion, General Talza leading that below 
the Alamo. 

" Santa Anna spent the night in the earth-work near the Alamo. 
The whole force was to move silently upon the fortress at the 
sound of the bugle, and not to fire until in the trenches of the 
Texans. The sound of the bugle was heard at four o'clock. Gen- 
eral Castrilion's division, after an hour's desperate fighting, and 
repulses, and unheard of losses, succeeded in effecting an entrance 
in the upper part of the Alamo, in a sort of out-work, now a 
court-yard. The fighting had only begun. The windows and 
doors were barricaded and guarded by bags of dirt heaped up as 
high as a man's shoulders, and on the roof were rows of bags of 
dirt, behind which the Texans fought as never men fought before, 
muzzle to muzzle, hand to hand. Each Texan rifle-shot exhausted 
its force and spent itself in successive bodies of Mexicans packed 
together like a wall of flesh. Muskets and rifles were clubbed, 
and bowie-knives never wrought such fearful carnage. The cease- 
less crash of firearms, the shouts of the defiant, desperate be- 
leagured Texans, the shrieks of the dying, made the din infernal, 
and the scene indescribable in its sublime terrors. 

" Each room in the building was the scene of a desperate strug- 
gle, with fearless men driven to desperation, and conscious that 
escape was impossible. They fought even when stricken down, 
and when dying still struggled, not with death, but to slay Mexi- 
cans. In the long room used as a hospital the sick and wounded 
fired pistols and rifles from their pallets. A piece of artillery, sup- 
posed to be that which Crockett had used during the siege, was 
shotted with grape and cannister, and turned upon the desperate oc- 
cupants of this apartment. After the explosion the Mexicans en- 
tered and found the emaciated bodies of fourteen men, torn and 
rent, and blackened and bloody. Forty-two dead Mexicans lay at 
the doorway of this room. Bowie, whose name tells of his fearful 
knife and deeds, lay stark and stiff on a cot in the room. He was 
helpless and in bed when the place was invested ten days before. 
Eleven Texans fired with terrible effect from the roof of the build- 
ing, where they used three or four pieces, which they charged with 
nails and pieces of iron. Buerra gives his peculiar version of the 
story affecting the death of Travis and Crockett. These two were 



THE SOUTHERN STATES. 685 

found living, yet exhausted by fighting, and lying among the dead. 
When Travis was discovered he gave gold to a Mexican, and 
while conversing with him General Cos, with whom Travis had 
dealt most generously when San Antonio was captured by the 
Americans, appeared. Cos embraced Travis, and induced other 
officers to join him in asking Santa Anna to spare Travis' life. The 
president-general sternly refused. Then Crockett, from among the 
corpses, stood up utterly exhausted, by weary, sleepless days and 
nights, and by five hours' constant fighting. Santa Anna was en- 
raged beyond measure that his orders were not executed. He 
directed the soldiers near him to fire on the two Texans. Travis 
was shot first in the back. He folded his arms across his breast 
and stood stiffly erect till a bullet pierced his neck. He fell upon 
his face, while Crockett's body was riddled with bullets. The 
corpses of two thousand Mexicans were buried, those of the dead 
Americans were gathered and burned, a holocaust whose fires 
lighted the way to the freedom of Texas." 

Texas was admitted into the Union December 29, 1845. J. 
Pinckney Henderson was the first governor, from 1846 to 1847. 
Texas, a Spanish word applied to the republic. Popular name, 
"The Lone Star State." 



PAET XIV. 



THE WESTEKN STATES. 



OHIO. 



This state, which formed part of the old Northwestern Terri- 
tory, was originally granted by royal charter to several of the ante- 
revolutionary colonial governments, and was by them, at differ- 
ent times after the disruption of the colonial relations with 
Great Britain, ceded to the general government for the common 
benefit of the nation. By the celebrated ordinance of 1787, this 
splendid domain, exceeding in extent the French empire, was or- 
ganized under territorial government, based upon the noblest prin- 
ciples. In 1802 the present state was erected in the eastern part 
of the territory, possessing an area 200 by 195 miles, equal to 39,- 
964 square miles or 25,576,960 acres. Population in 1800, 45,365 ; 
1810, 230,760; 1820, 581,295; 1830, 937,903; 1840, 1,519,467; 
1850,1,980,329; 1860,2,339,511; 1870,2,665,260. 

Topographically considered, the vast surface areas of Ohio are 
most diverse and beautiful. The entire state is a compact mass of 
land, nowhere presenting any remarkable elevations above the com- 
mon level. It rather exhibits a lofty plateau, whose maximum 
altitudes occur in its more central parts, the average elevations 
ranging from 600 to 1,000 feet. Its waters flow northwardly into 
Lake Erie, and southwardly into the Biver Ohio, being separated 
by a frequently inappreciable ridge, known as the water-shed of 
the state. The declination from this ridge is abrupt to the north, 
and the currents of the streams are hastened and often precipitated 
by abrupt falls. The descent southward to the Ohio is not so 

(686) 



THE WESTERN STATES. 687 

marked, and the slope is more gradual. This southern declivity is 
penetrated by a considerable high-land thrown across the state in 
the latitude of Columbus and Zanesville, between which and the 
Ohio are included greatly diversified and picturesque areas of hills 
and valleys. The interior and more central parts exhibit broad, 
level tracts, with a profusion of swells and slight elevations moder- 
ately appearing from the plains, frequently interspersed with marshes 
and swamps, which is also true of sections of the northern slope. 

It is estimated that over nine-tenths of the lands of the state 
are susceptible of remunerative tillage, and that four-fifths of the 
soil is of the richest fertility. But a very small proportion of the 
state is indeed unavailable for production. The valleys of the 
Muskingum, Scioto, Maumee, Little Miami and Miami rivers are 
garden spots on the face of the continent. It is said that the Mi- 
ami and Scioto valleys produce two-thirds of the corn crops of the 
state. In the northern or back-bone portions of the state are the 
great wheat growing districts, although the entire state is most fa- 
vorable to the production of this great cereal. It would seem 
difficult to find an extent of country equal to it, so richly endowed 
with the elements of fertility and agricultural possibilities. On 
the shores of the lake is found a profitable fruit district, and on 
the islands of this blue, miniature, inland sea the vine attains a 
rich perfection. The peach, so susceptible to the blight of per- 
nicious frosts, finds here a most congenial atmosphere. 

Increased attention has more latterly been paid to the cultiva- 
tion of the more delicate fibers and fruits. The increments in the 
flax, wool and orchard products are especially remarkable. The 
improvement in the quality of these productions has more than kept 
pace with their enlargement in quantity. In mining enterprise an 
equal enlargement has been observable, and in the production of 
mineral coal, of pig iron, etc., there has been a corresponding ex- 
pansion. The increase in these branches of production indicates a 
diversification of industry and the development of higher civiliza- 
tion. Manufacturing enterprise is absorbing capital and labor 
without inflicting detriment upon agriculture. 

The climate of the south part of the state is mild ; tow T ards the 
north, and especially on the declivity of the lake, the cold increases 
to an equality with the same parallels in the eastern states. This 



688 " THE WESTEKN STATES. 

climate, not sufficiently warm to enervate, presents to a fertile soil 
all the stimulus necessary to splendid production. 

The forest vegetation of Ohio embraces all the varieties of oak, 
maple, hickory, sycamore, papaw, dogwood, beech, etc. The fuel 
producing capacities of the state are further augmented by im- 
mense workable coal areas. These occupy the eastern and south- 
eastern portions of the state, among the western foot-hills proper 
of the Allegheny mountain system. To the northwest of the coal 
measures is found a very narrow belt of the underlying coal con- 
glomerate, forming the rim of the coal basin. To this succeed 
the Chemung and Portage groups,* and other formations in the 
downward series of the devonian and silurian systems. 

Its natural internal communications embrace over eight hun- 
dred miles of river and lake navigation. Its artificial highways, 
canals and railways afford extensive facilities for transportation. 
One distinguishing characteristic of Ohio is the growth of towns 
and cities within its borders. The percentage of increase in Cin- 
cinnati, Cleveland, Dayton, Columbus, Toledo, Zanesville, Spring- 
field, Hamilton, Chillicothe, Steubenville, Sandusky, Portsmouth, 
Akron, Mansfield, etc., in the last decade and a half, has been most 
remarkable. 

In its educational enterprises it is one of the foremost states 
in the Union. Two years after its admission into the Union the 
University of Ohio was established at Athens. Delaware, Oberlin, 

*This series of formations consists of sedimentary rocks named from localities 
where they exist. They are composed of shales and sandstone in the state of New 
York, and are two thousand feet in thickness. The upper and coarser portions of 
these rocks have a thickness in western New York and Pennsylvania from one thou- 
sand to one thousand five hundred feet. In Ohio the Portage and Chemung rocks 
form the lake shore as far west as the mouth of the Vermillion river, and are called 
in this state the Erie shale. The lower portion of the strata is called the Huron 
shale, and extends in a belt of outcrop from the mouth of the Huron river to the 
mouth of the Scioto, and there attains a thickness of about three hundred and thirty 
feet. The Huron shale is known as the Black shale, and is well exposed in the banks 
of the Scioto, and the Ohio near Portsmouth, on the Big Walnut east of Columbus, 
Worthington, and on the banks of the Huron. It is of a bituminous character, and 
doubtless the source of the oil and gases in Ohio, and supposed to supply all the oil 
to the wells on Oil creek, in Pennsylvania. It is noted for the fossil fishes it con- 
tains, some of them being the largest discovered. [Jeffries, in Douglass' History of 
Wayne County, Ohio.] 



THE WESTEEN STATES. 689 

Gambier, Hudson, Wooster, etc., are justly renowned for their col- 
leges and universities. 

Columbus, the capital of the state, is situated on the Scioto 
river, in Franklin county, and had a population in 1870 of 33,745. 
It was laid out in 1812, and the seat of government removed there 
in 1816. 

Cincinnati, the Queen City, is situated on the north bank of 
the Ohio, and is the great metropolis of the state. It is located 
in a beautiful valley, and its manufactures embrace almost every 
department of industrial employment, but space will not allow 
their enumeration in this article. Its facilities for locomotion are 
most important, being situated on one of the most beautiful rivers 
on the continent, with railroads and canals expanding in every di- 
rection for thousands of miles. Its public edifices indicate the im- 
mense development and growth of the city. It was first settled 
in 1788. In 1819 was chartered as a city. In 1800 it had a pop- 
ulation of 750, and in 1870, 216,239. 

Cleveland, the commercial emporium of northern Ohio, is sit- 
uated on Lake Erie, and in point of numbers is the second city in 
the state. It enjoys great facilities for the transit of goods and 
passengers. The Ohio canal, extending to the Ohio river at Ports- 
mouth, has its northern terminus here. The population has aug- 
mented from 1,000 inhabitants, in 1830, to 92,846 in 1870. It was 
named after General Moses Cleveland, an agent of the Connecticut 
Land Company, who aided in surveying the Keserve,the site of the 
city being surveyed under his direction in 1796. It was incorpor- 
ated as a city in 1836. In point of beauty, sanitary conditions, 
grandeur of private residences and solidity of public buildings, but 
few cities of the country compare with it. Beautiful fountains, 
cooling retreats, immense stretches of woodland verdure and lovely 
avenues, fringed and arched with magnificent trees, have won for 
it the name of " The Forest City." 

Ohio was first settled at Marietta, on the Ohio river, in 1788. 
The first territorial legislature assembled in 1799; it ended by 
the organization of a state government, March 3, 1803, pursuant 
to the provisions of a constitution, formed at Chillicothe, Novem- 

44 



690 THE WESTEEN STATES. 

ber 29, 1802.* Arthur St. Clair was territorial governor from 
1788 to 1803, and Edward Tiffin state governor, from 1804 to 1807. 
Popular name, " The Buckeye State," the Indian word Ohio-i 
meaning beautiful. 

WEST VIRGINIA. 

West Virginia, created from territory originally embraced in old 
Virginia, is one of the new accessions to the grand sisterhood of 
American states. It embraces an area of 24,000 square miles, or 
14,496,000 acres. Population, in 1870, 442,014. 

The topographical features of West Virginia are diversified. 
The Allegheny ridge in this state forms the water-shed between 
the Atlantic and Mississippi valley. 

" The prevailing ingredients of the soils are silica, alumina, or 
pure clay, marl, lime, magnesia and iron, which the very uneven- 
ness of the surface tends to amalgamate to the greatest practical 
advantage. Thus the alluvial or bottom lands, composed of the 
diluvium from adjacent or distant hills, combine mechanically and 
chemically every kind of mineral and vegetable decomposition in 
the country." These soils, as a consequence, are of the richest fer- 
tility. Throughout the different regions and districts of the state 
the lands are of variable productiveness, the more elevated slopes 
and acclivities being peculiarly adapted to pasturage. Its principal 
rivers, all tributaries to the Ohio, are the Sandy, Guyandotte, and 
the Great and Little Kanawha. Conspicuous among its elements 
of wealth are its extended mineral deposits. Coal is found in 
nearly every county in the state, while seams of iron are co-exten- 
sively numerous and well defined. Plastic and fire clays are like- 
wise found, as also petroleum in different localities. In the Kana- 
wha valley the manufacture of salt is a large and profitable industry. 

Wheeling is the capital of the state, and is situated on the east 
bank of the Ohio river. It has gained celebrity for enterprise in 
manufacture and trade, and to this spirit is due its growth and 
prosperity. Prominent among its manufactures are its iron works, 
nail mills, glass factories, etc. Its boiler works, rolling mills, 
spike mills, foundries, machine shops, hinge and tack establish- 

*See page 552. 



THE WESTEKN STATES. 691 

ments, etc., are sources of great revenue to the city, and have given 
Wheeling a wide reputation. 

The history of West Virginia is identified with the Old Do- 
minion. November 26, 1861, a state constitution was adopted, 
which, May 3, 1862, was ratified by the people, and June 20, 1863, 
the new state was admitted to the Union. Arthur I. Boreman was 
the first governor of the state, from 1861 to 1869. 



TENNESSEE. 

The area of this state is computed at 45,600 square miles, or 
29,184,000 acres, having a mean breadth north and south of about 
112 miles, while its length varies from 300 to 410 miles. Popula- 
tion in 1790, 35,691; 1800, 105,602; 1810, 261,727; 1820, 422,- 
771; 1830, 681,904; 1840,829,210; 1850,1,002,717; 1860,1,109,- 
801; 1870, 1,258,520. 

The state of Tennessee is characterized by three natural divis- 
ions, viz : east, middle and west, which are formed by the Cum- 
berland mountains and Tennessee river. East Tennessee has a 
somewhat rugged surface, being traversed by several parallel ridges 
of the Apalachian chain, of which the Cumberland mountains, in 
its west part, is the chief. These are continuous, about fifty miles 
broad and frequently two thousand feet high. The middle portion 
of the state is less bold in its outlines, and the surface impercepti- 
bly declines by gradations from a region overspread by hills and 
swells of ever-changing and varying elevation and character, to a 
rolling country of exquisite fertility, and watered by innumerable 
streams, tributaries of its great rivers, the Cumberland and Ten- 
nessee. In West Tennessee, between the Tennessee and Missis- 
sippi rivers, the surface is generally level, or slopes gradually tow- 
ard the latter river, and is somewhat marked by the valleys of its 
affluents. There are, however, but few portions of the state so 
hilly and broken as to interfere with its general agricultural capac- 
ities. The hills are clothed with wood to their summits, and the 
soil is everywhere sufficiently fertile for profitable cultivation, or 
yields nourishing grasses for pasturage. 

The Cumberland mountains penetrate that section of the coun- 



692 THE WESTEKN STATES. 

try which lies between the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers, and 
expand to considerable proportions, with long regular ridges of no 
great elevation. Their altitudes are not remarkable, but the chains 
are continuous, interrupted only at great intervals by gaps, or 
passes. In some places they are rocky and rugged, while in others 
they swell gently from their elevated bases and embosom numer- 
ous picturesque and productive valleys. The valleys of the smaller 
rivers are delightful and rich beyond any of the same description 
west of the Alleghenies. The valleys of the great streams — the 
Tennessee and Cumberland — differ but little from the alluvions of 
the other great rivers of the central regions of the Union. 

Noble rivers, open to navigation, and fine, pure streams, fur- 
nishing ample power for economical purposes, are distinguishing 
features of the state of Tennessee. The Mississippi washes the 
western border for one hundred and sixty miles, and its banks 
within this state afford some of the most valuable commercial 
points to be found in its long and majestic course. The Cum- 
berland has its sources and its mouth in Kentucky, but flows for 
about two hundred and fifty miles in Tennessee, through which is 
its most southern bend. 

To Nashville, the capital of the state, navigation is convenient 
and easy. The Tennessee also rises beyond the limits of the state. 
The Holston and Clinch rivers, which rise in the Allegheny ridge, 
Virginia, unile and form the Tennessee, the junction being effected 
at Kingston, whence its course is south and southwest until it en- 
ters Alabama, through which state its course is generally west to the 
Mississippi state line, on which it takes a north direction through 
Tennessee and Kentucky to the Ohio. The western portion of 
the state is almost entirely drained by tributaries of the Mississippi. 

The soil of East Tennessee, principally calcareous (consisting of, 
or partaking of the nature of limestone), is eminently fertile. In 
the west the soils vary, the strata descending from the mountains 
in diversity of order. In the southern parts are immense beds of 
oyster shells, on high plateaus, at a distance from any stream. 
Nearly all the forest trees of the central country are found in the 
state. The pine forests of the eastern section are valuable for 
their turpentine, tar, etc. The sugar-maple is abundant, and the 
different varieties of fruits are raised in great perfection. 



THE WESTERN STATES. 693 

The climate of the state is genial and mild, comparatively free 
from the tofrid excesses of the remoter south and the bitter, 
freezing winds of the north. Cattle may graze upon the plains 
throughout the entire season. 

The mineral resources of the state consist of copper, iron, lead, 
etc., of which the ores are quite rich. These are, for the most 
part, located in the eastern and middle divisions of the state. 
Coal of excellent quality has been mined in various localities. The 
state contains quarries of fine marble ; gypsum is abundant ; nitrous 
earths are found in the limestone caverns, and there are a variety 
of other useful minerals throughout the country. East of the Ten- 
nessee salt is abundant, and in the eastern section there are 
numerous sulphur and other mineral springs. 

" In the limestone regions are numerous caves, mostly unex- 
plored. Several in the Cumberland mountains are one hundred 
feet deep and of great extent. A considerable river has been 
found in one, at a depth of four hundred feet ; another opening, 
perpendicularly in a mountain, has never been fathomed. In some 
of these caverns are immense deposits of fossil bones of extinct 
animals. In what is known as the Enchanted mountain are seen 
impressions of the feet of men and animals in limestone. In many 
places are interesting remains of ancient mounds and fortifica- 
tions." * 

Nashville, named in honor of Colonel Francis Nash, who fell at 
Germantown, was founded in 1779, is situated on the Cumberland 
river and, rests upon an elevated limestone bluff, presenting a com- 
manding appearance as seen from every direction. It is a handsome 
city and well built, the capitol building being one of the grandest 
in the west. Its population in 1870 was 25,872. 

Memphis, on the east shore of the Mississippi, is the largest 
city in the state. Its present position was the former site of Fort 
Assumption, employed for the purpose of protecting the country 
from the invasion of the Chickasaws. It was occupied in 1783 
by order of the Spanish government, and held by it until the pe- 
riod of the purchase by the United States of Louisiana. It is 
the largest city on the Mississippi, between St. Louis and New 

* Zell's Encyclopedia. 



694 THE WESTEKN STATES. 

Orleans, and as a shipping point, possesses great importance. Its 
population in 1870 was 40,226. 

Chattanooga is one of the most flourishing cities of the state, its 
settlement having commenced in 1835. " The name of the place 
was Ross's Landing, taking its suggestive title from John Ross, a 
distinguished half-breed, who resided here, and the chief of the 
Cherokee Nation. * * * In 1841 the name of ' Chattanooga ' 
was given to the place. * * * Lying in the center of the basin 
made by the Tennessee valley on the north, flanked on the west by 
Walden's Ridge, the great valley of East Tennessee on the east, 
Chicamauga and Chattanooga valleys on the south, and Lookout 
valley on the west, while the Sequachee valley is on the northwest, 
tending to and drawing from the great stock state, Kentucky — all 
pouring supplies into her capacious lap, Chattanooga offers superior 
inducements as a grand entrepot and re-shipping point." * In its 
manufacturing industries it has achieved the title of "the Pitts- 
burgh of the South." An inexhaustible supply of coal and the 
prevalence of iron ore in juxtaposition to the city, insure its per- 
manence and a grand future development. Here is the Chattanooga 
iron company, gas-light company, Roane iron company, fire-brick 
works, Etna foundry and machine works, Enterprise machine 
works, Wason car works, Novelty machine works, marble works, 
pump and pipe factory, and others of importance that might be 
named, employing millions of capital under the guidance and en- 
terprise of aggressive and mastering genius. Here are railroad 
shops, possessed of facilities for repairing the motive power and 
rolling stock of the road, and here is a filagree work of railways 
shooting its iron fingers toward the Atlantic seaboard, reaching to 
the Gulf, and pointing across the Ohio and Mississippi to measure- 
less areas of wealth and commerce. 

Knoxville was laid out in 1794, and from that year until 1817 
was the capital of the state. It is situated on the north bank of 
Holston river, at the head of navigation, and four miles below the 
confluence of French Broad river. The city is most eligibly lo- 
cated for extensive inland trade, being at the navigable head of a 
great river, and being on the line of inter-communication east and 

* Parham's History of Hamilton County and Chattanooga, kindly furnished us 
by Dr. Tower Lyon and A. G. Hickman, Esq., of Chattanooga. 



THE WESTEKN STATES. 695 

west — nearly through the middle zone of the Union. It has, like- 
wise, important railroad connections. Its population in 1870 was 
8008. 

Murfreesboro, on a branch of Stone river, is situated on an 
eminence, overlooking a fertile region, and is a lively center of 
trade. 

On the division of old Carolina into two provinces this country fell to the por- 
tion of North Carolina. Between 1740 and 1750 the eastern parts of the country 
were explored, and large grants of lands awarded for the service. At the com- 
mencement of the French war (1754) about fifty families were located on the Cum- 
berland river, but these were driven off by the Indians. About the same time the 
Shawanees, who had lived near the Savannah river, emigrated to the banks of the 
Cumberland and settled near the present site of Nashville, but they also were 
driven away by the Cherokees. In 1755 a number of persons settled beyond the 
present limits of North Carolina, and were the permanent colonists of Tennessee. 
In 1773 population was found to have increased to a very considerable extent. In 
the succeeding year a war broke'out with the northern Indians, residing across the 
Ohio, and terminated by their petitioning for peace. 1776 was rendered memora- 
bly historic by a redoubtable invasion of the Cherokees, whom the British had in- 
stigated to assault the infant settlements. The English superintendent had previ- 
ously made proposals to the Tennesseeans to join the English standard, and failing 
to seduce them from the support of the colonies, directed against them the ferocity 
of the savage foe. A strong force from Virginia and the Carolinas, however, soon 
dispersed the enemy, and peace again was established. When the constitution of 
North Carolina was formed, in 1776, Tennessee (then the " District of Washington " ) 
sent»deputies to the convention. In 1780 the mountaineers of the borders of North 
Carolina and Tennessee distinguished themselves in the southern campaign at King's 
Mountain, Guilford, and other battle scenes, and soon after these events they pene- 
trated the Indian country and dispersed the savages. At the peace these brave men 
again sought their mountain homes and devoted themselves to the improvement of 
their settlements. About this time a small colony of about forty families, under 
the direction of James Kobertson, crossed the mountains and settled on the Cum- 
berland river, where they founded the town of Nashville. The nearest white neigh- 
bors were the settlers of Kentucky, and between them was a wilderness of two hun- 
dred miles. In 1783 the legislature of North Carolina laid off a tract of land on 
the Cumberland river for the discharge of the military bounties and the officers and 
soldiers of the Continental Line. The district set apart included the colony at 
Nashville, a small tract having been allotted to the original settlers. After this, 
population began to increase rapidly. Many to whom military lands had been 
granted repaired thither with their families, while others sold their warrants to citi- 
zens of different states. In 1785 the inhabitants, sensibly feeling the inconveniences>of 
a government so remote as that at the capital of North Carolina, endeavored to 
form an independent one, to which they gave the title of the " State of Franklin," 
or Frankland, but the scheme was finally relinquished. In 1789 the legislature of 
the state of North Carolina passed an act ceding the territory, on certain conditions, 



696 THE WESTERN STATES. 

to the United States, and in the ensuing year Congress accepted the cession, and by 
its act of May 26, 1790, provided for its government under the title of ''The Terri- 
tory of the United States South of the Ohio," which included the present states of 
Kentucky and Tennessee, the former having been ceded to Virginia. [Col ton's Ga- 
ze teer United States.] 

Tennessee adopted a constitution February 6, 1769, and was 
admitted into the Union June 1, 1796. It derived its name from 
the principal river, the term Ten-as-se, its probable primitive, be- 
ing supposed to denote a curved spoon; hence its sobriquet, "The 
Big Bend State." 



KENTUCKY. 

Kentucky, originally included in Virginia, extends between 
Tennessee and the Ohio river, and is about four hundred miles in 
length from east to west, varying from forty to one hundred and 
eighty miles in width, including an area of 37,680 square miles, or 
24,115,200 acres. Population in 1790, 73,677; 1800, 220,955; 
1810, 406,511; 1820, 564,135; 18S0, 687,917; 1840, 779,828; 
1850, 982,405; 1860, 1,155,684; 1870, 1,321,011. The southeast 
boundary of the state is formed by the Cumberland mountains, and 
several outlying ridges traverse the southeastern counties. The 
western part is principally level, while the central portion is roll- 
ing and undulating. The soils of the state are generally fertile, 
those of the limestone formation being the most productive. It 
exceeds all the other states in the growing of tobacco, and raises 
half the hemp produced in the United States. Wheat, corn, rye, 
barley, oats, flax, buckwheat, all are profitable articles of produc- 
tion. Its natural pasturage and grazing areas are the finest in the 
country. The climate is equable, temperate, and salubrious. 

Mineralogically considered, Kentucky lies within the great 
region of stratified rocks of the west. " The silurian groups, which 
are here almost exclusively of a calcareous character, extend 
throughout the state from north to south. They are nearly one 
hundred miles in width, and form the great central axis of the 
lowest rocks. At Louisville they dip beneath the limestone of the 
devonian age, which here lies in horizontal strata, forming the bed 
of the river and the reefc which occasion the falls at this place. 
The carboniferous limestone comes next in order ; and farther west 



THE WESTEKN STATES. £97 

are the coal measures, which form the south termination of the 
great coal fields of Illinois and Indiana. * * * Iron of a 
superior quality is found in many places, and numerous salt springs 
occur, yielding salt in sufficient quantity to supply not only Ken- 
tucky, but a great part of Ohio and Tennessee. Nitre and fine 
white marble are also plentiful. The limestone of Kentucky 
abounds in fossil remains of the elephant, horse, mastodon, mega- 
longyx, etc."* These limestones also abound in caves, the largest 
of which is Mammoth cave. Much of the surface rock of the 
state is composed of the blue limestone, valuable for purposes of 
building; and among the cliffs of the Kentucky river there is 
prevalent an excellent marble. The coal beds of the State are 
projections or continuations of those of Ohio and Illinois. Salt- 
springs are found in the sandstone formation, and mineral-springs 
are of frequent occurrence, containing sulphur, chalybeate, etc. 
The streams of the state are bountiful and beautiful. The Ohio 
on the north and northwest, and the Mississippi on the west, with 
their many affluents, intersect nearly every portion of the state. 
The Kentucky, Salt, Green, and Licking rivers are all navigable 
for short distances, except the latter. 

Frankfort, the seat of justice for Franklin county, and the capi- 
tal of Kentucky, is beautifully situated on the Kentucky river, 
sixty miles from its mouth, and in the midst of the wild and ro- 
mantic scenery which renders that stream so remarkable. It was 
established by the legislature of Virginia, in 1786, the seat of gov- 
ernment being located here in 1792. 

Louisville, the largest city of the state, and its commercial and 
manufacturing metropolis, is the capital of Jefferson county, and 
is situated on the south bank of the Ohio river, at the head of the 
rapids, immediately at the junction of Beargrass with that river. 
It is built on an elevated plain, seventy feet above low water mark, 
and very gently declining toward its southern border. Its manu- 
factures are varied and extensive, and embrace a great variety of 
objects. Its foundries, machine shops, flouring mills, steam bag- 
ging, cotton and woolen, and tobacco factories, rope walks, etc., 
constitute some of its many important industries. It is liberally 
supplied with churches and schools, and may justly claim pre- 

* Zell's Encyclopedia. 



698 THE WESTEKN STATES. 

eminence as to the early establishment and progress of its educa- 
tional institutions. Enjoying, as it does to a remarkable degree, 
river and railway facilities, it is brought in communication with 
the great centers of business and trade throughout the different 
sections of the Union. What is known as the " Falls" on the 
Ohio river, for a while obstructed navigation, all of which was ob- 
viated by a canal, completed in 1833. The city presents a bustling, 
active and attractive appearance, and many of its edifices rank 
with the best in the country. Its population in 1800 was 600; in 
1870, 100,753. Captain Thomas Bullitt, of Virginia, is said to 
have laid off the town in 1773, but no settlement was made until 
1778. In 1780 the legislature of Virginia passed " an act for estab- 
lishing the town of Louisville, at the falls of Ohio." It was 
named by the Virginia legislature after Louis XVI., of France, in 
commemoration of his alliance with the great republic. 

Covington, Newport, Lexington, Maysville, Henderson, Padu- 
cah, Columbus, Hickman, Danville, Paris, etc., are other and 
principal towns and cities of the state. 

Kentucky was first settled at Lexington, in 1766. Colonel James 
Smith, John Findley, Daniel Boone, and Colonel James Knox, at 
periods varying from 1766 to 1770, had made excursions into the 
territory. Later, and from 1773 to 1777, James Herrod, Daniel 
Boone and Simon Kenton had erected cabins, camps, and forts 
within its borders. In 1774-75 an amicable withdrawal from the 
jurisdiction of Virginia was recommended, resulting finally in the 
cession of the Kentucky territory by Virginia to the federal gov- 
ernment; and June 1, 1792, it was admitted into the Union. 
Isaac Shelby was its first governor, 1792 to 1796. It was so named, 
1792, from its principal river. Popular name, " The State of the 
Dark and Bloody Ground." 



INDIANA. 



Indiana, the second state erected out of the old Northwestern 
territory, lies in the form of a parallelogram between Ohio and 
Illinois, and extends from the Ohio river on the south to Michi- 
gan on the north, extending from north to south about 275 miles, 
and from east to west 135 miles. It includes an area of 33,809 



THE WESTERN STATES. 899 

square miles, or 21,637,760 acres. Population, in 1800, 5,641 ; 
1810, 24,520; 1820, 147,178; 1830, 343,031; 1840, 685,866; 1850, 
988,416; 1860, 1,350,428; 1870, 1,680,637. 

The surface conditions of the great state of Indiana are of the 
character of all sections of country where exist an absence of all 
mountain features and formations. In its topography it very gen- 
erally assimilates Ohio. Omitting some isolated elevations and 
swells contiguous to the rivers, or sand accretions in the northern 
part near Lake Michigan, there are no well defined, continuous 
or prolonged physical protuberances in the state. Extending in a 
varying distance back from the Ohio river is a belt of bluffs and 
hills, while a moderate ridge extends transversely across the state 
to the northwest, occasioning rapids in the Ohio, White and Wa- 
bash rivers. Considered geographically we singularly enough dis- 
cover no definite water-shed, such as is common to similar vast areas, 
though a crest line exists in the northern region of the state, as is 
evidenced in the length of the affluents of the Ohio. Pine forests 
prevail in the north or lake region, while the central or northern 
parts exhibit a pleasing diversity of prairie and well timbered dis- 
tricts, including such valuable varieties as the various oaks and 
walnut, poplar, ash, hickory, elm, cherry and maple. 

The soils of the state, regarded in the light of their productive 
elements, vary very materially, yet are generally remarkably fer- 
tile. That portion known as the valley of the Ohio, and we may 
add the Whitewater, too, embraces 5,500 square miles, about two- 
thirds of which is splendid agricultural land, the remainder, though 
inclined to be hilly, being suited to pasturage. The White river 
valley, containing 9,000 square miles, extends centrally from the 
Wabash to the marginal limits of the state of Ohio, and possesses 
great fertility. It is uniformly level and abounds in heavy forest 
growths. The valley of the Wabash, the larger of the two, com- 
passing 12,000 square miles, and interlocking with the White 
river valley, extends northeasterly and northwardly to include the 
northern portion. 

It is estimated that 2,000 square miles of the Maumee valley 
of Ohio lie in Indiana. The soils of these valleys are proverbially 
rich, and in localities enjoy the advantages of first-class water-power, 



700 THE WESTERN STATES. 

and, with the exception of bluffs in their lower portions, every acre 
is susceptible of profitable tillage. 

The agriculture of the state is.in a prosperous condition, due in 
a marked degree, to the effective and judicious management of the 
various boards of agriculture of the state, and is developing great 
results, while there is a corresponding expansion of manufacturing 
industries. Her immense water forces have been brought into de- 
mand, and the exploration of coal deposits has induced the estab- 
lishment, upon an extensive basis, of the machineries and engineries 
of steam. But more particularly as to the mineral resources. 
Coal, the most valuable of all minerals, exists in the state in great 
abundance. The measures, says Professor E. T. Cox, cover an 
area of about six thousand five hundred square miles, in the south- 
western part of the state, and extend from Warren county, on the 
north, to the Ohio river, on the south, a distance of about one 
hundred and fifty miles. The following counties lie within its 
area: Warren, Fountain, Parke, Vermillion, Vigo, Clay, Sulli- 
van, Greene, Knox, Daviess, Martin, Gibson, Pike, Dubois, Van- 
derburg, Warrick, Spencer, Perry, and a small part of Crawford, 
Monroe, Putnam and Montgomery. The coal is all bituminous, 
but is divisible into three well marked varieties : caking coal, non- 
caking-coal or block coal, and cannel coal. The total depth of the 
seams or measures is from six hundred to eight hundred feet, with 
twelve to fourteen distinct seams of coal, though they are not all 
to be found throughout the entire area of the field. The seams 
range from one foot to eleven feet in thickness, and the field may, 
from the character of the coal, be divided into two zones ; the west- 
ern contains the seams of caking-coal, and the eastern the non- 
caking or block coal. There are, continues Professor Cox, from 
three to four workable seams of caking-coal, ranging from three 
and a half to eleven feet in thickness. At most of the local- 
ities, when these are being worked, the coal is mined by adits 
driven in on the face of the ridges, and the deepest shafts in 
the state are less than three hundred feet; the average depth 
to win coal being not over seventy-five feet. The eastern zone 
of the coal measures has an area of more than four hundred 
and fifty square miles. It is here that we find the celebrated 
block coal, a fossil fuel which is used in the raw state for mak- 



THE WESTERN STATES. 701 

ing pig iron. In fact this coal, from its physical structure and 
freedom from impurities, is peculiarly suited to metallurgical pur- 
poses. It has a laminated structure with carbonaceous matter, like 
charcoal between the lamina, slaty cleavage, and rings under the 
hammer. It is free burning, makes an open fire, and without 
caking, swelling, scaffolding in the furnace or changing form, burns 
like hickory wood until it is consumed to a white ash, and leaves 
no clinkers. It is likewise valuable for generating steam and for 
household uses. Many of the principal railway lines in the state 
are using it in preference to any other coal, as it does not burn out 
the fire-boxes, and gives as little trouble as wood. There are as 
many as eight distinct seams of block coal in this zone, three of 
which are workable, having an average thickness of four feet. The 
cannel coal is found in great abundance in Perry, Daviess, Greene, 
Parke, and Fountain counties, where its commercial value has 
already been attested. Valuable and extensive deposits of iron 
ore prevail, known as the kidney or furnace ores, and in the 
northern counties are laid beds of bog ore, smothered in muck, 
free from sulphur, easily reduced and yielding a fair percentage of 
iron. Kaolin also exists in Lawrence county. 

The almost universal fertility of the soil of Indiana is the re- 
sult mainly of its position geologically. " It is well known to ge- 
ologists that that soil is most productive which has been derived 
from the destruction of the greatest variety of rocks, for thus only is 
produced the due mixture of gravel, sand, clay and limestone, nec- 
essary to form a good medium for the retention and transmission of 
nutritive fluids, be they liquid or aeriform, to the roots of plants. 
Now, Indiana is situated near the middle of the great valley of 
northwestern America, and far distant from the primitive range of 
mountains, and her soil is accordingly formed from the destruction of 
a vast variety of rocks, both crystalline and sedimentary, which have 
been minutely divided and intimately blended together by the ac- 
tion of air and water. It has all the elements, therefore, of extra- 
ordinary fertility."* 

Its principal rivers are the Ohio, constituting its southern 
boundary, and the Wabash, with its multiplied feeders, drawing con- 
tributions from nearly every county in the state. Its natural ad- 

*Report of D. D. Owen on Geology of Indiana. 



702 THE WESTEKN STATES. 

vantages for communication, consisting of several hundred miles of 
lake and river navigation, have received stimulating additions by 
systems of common and turnpike roads, canals and railroads. Iron 
arteries stretch out over its vast and beautiful areas, crossing the 
state in all directions, interlinking and handcuffing its principal 
cities and more important points with the great cities of the east- 
ern, middle and western states. 

The colleges and universities of Indiana are of a high order, 
with standards of study and excellence which insure their perma- 
nence and value. 

Indianapolis, the capital and largest city of Indiana, is situated 
in Marion county, on the West Fork of White river, and near the 
geographical center of the state, its site being on a level, beautiful 
and fertile plain. In pursuance of provisions of acts of Congress of 
April 19, 1816, and March 3, 1819, the General Assembly of Indi- 
ana, by a law approved on January 11, 1820, appointed ten commis- 
sioners to select and locate a quantity of land, not exceeding four 
sections, for a site for the permanent seat of the state government. 
The commissioners, in obedience to a proclamation issued by Gov- 
ernor Jennings, met May 22, 1820, and June 7 a site was selected 
and located, which selection was confirmed by act of the legisla- 
ture of January 6, 1821. The town of Corydon remained the seat 
of government until January 10, 1825. In this year the public 
offices of the state were removed to Indianapolis, the legislature hold- 
ing its sessions in the Court House until December, 1834, when 
the State House was completed. Indianapolis may be denominated 
the largest inland city of the Union, and one of the most delight- 
ful of the western capitals. The new Court House is one of the 
most stately and massive edifices, creditable alike to the state and 
nation. The old State House, demolished in the spring of 1878, 
and built in imitation of the Athenian Parthenon, was a model 
in its day, but is now being succeeded by another in process of 
erection which will brilliantly eclipse it in the magnitude of its 
proportions and in the excellencies of architectural art. 

Indianapolis is especially distinguished for the almost magical 
rapidity of its growth and population. It is handsomely and reg- 
ularly laid out, with wide, spacious, well paved streets, extensively 
shaded with trees of umbrageous foliage. Many of its private resi- 



THE WESTERN STATES. 7()3 

deuces are attractive and palatial, and beautiful specimens of archi- 
tectural taste and neatness. Its church structures are in the vari- 
ous styles of ecclesiastical building. The city library is large, 
systematically arranged, and the public schools are upon an efficient 
basis. It has important manufacturing interests, and has for years 
been the center of an extensive lumber business. The handling 
and working up of the black walnut timber, for which Indiana oc- 
cupies pre-eminence, has been one of its great and profitable enter- 
prises. It is one of the most prosperous cities of the north middle 
section of the Union, its remarkable convergence of railroads hav- 
ing secured for it the title of the " Railroad City of the West." 

Evansville, the second city of the state in population, is on the 
Ohio river. It was named after General Robert M. Evans,* a 
Virginian, and founded in 1836. In 1870 it had a population of 
22,830. 

Fort Wayne, capital of Allen county, is located on a slight ele- 
vation, opposite to which, on the north, the St. Mary's and the St. 
Joseph unite and form the Maumee. It is built on the site of the 
old " Twigtwee village," in the Indian dialect called Ke-ki-o-que ; 
and here stood old Fort Wayne, built by General Wayne in 1794 ; 
and farther below, on the opposite side of the Maumee, was fought 
the disastrous battle of October 22, 1790. In 1841 the Miamis and 
Pottawattomies were removed, and it ceased to be a military post. 
The city has had a rapid but solid growth, and enjoys many ad- 
vantages from its railroad connections. Its population in 1870 was 
17,718. 

Lafayette, New Albany, Terre Haute, Madison, Richmond and 
Vincennes are prominent cities. 

The first attempted settlement of Indiana was in 1702, by the 
Sieur Juchereau, a Canadian officer, assisted by the missionary, 

*General Evans was born in 1783, in Virginia. In 1803 he removed to Paris, 
Kentucky, where he married Jane Trimble, sister of Judge Eobert Trimble, of the 
Supreme Court of the United States. In 1805, with his family, he removed to the 
Indiana territory. In the war of 1812 he served with General Hrrrison, first as an 
aid and afterwards as a brigadier-general in command of a large body of militia 
from Indiana and other territories. He participated in the battles of the Thames, 
Tippecanoe, and other engagements, and had the reputation of being one of the 
best officers in the army — not only on account of his bravery, but also his sagacity 
and ability as a leader. 



704 THE WESTERN STATES. 

Mermet. It became a trading post in 1716; but little is known of 
its early settlement until 1763, when it was ceded to Great Britain. 
It was the second state erected out of the old Northwestern terri- 
tory; was organized as a territory May 7, 1800; adopted a consti- 
tution June 29, 1816, and admitted to the Union December 11, 
1816. William H. Harrison was the first territorial governor, from 
1800 to 1811, and Jonathan Jennings the first state governor, from 
1816 to 1822. It received its name in 1809, from the American 
Indians. Popular name, " The Hoosier State." 



ILLINOIS. 



Illinois is the third state formed from the old Northwestern ter- 
ritory, and possesses an extreme length, from north to south, of 
380 miles, with an average breadth of 140 miles, expanding at 
some points to 200 miles. Its area is 55,410 square miles, or 
35,462,400 acres. Population in 1810, 12,282 ; 1820, 55,162 ; 1830, 
157,445; 1840, 476,183; 1850, 851,470; 1860, 1,711,951; 1870, 
2,539,891. 

The surface of Illinois may be regarded as a table land, elevated 
from three hundred and fifty to eight hundred feet above sea level, 
with a general inclination toward the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, 
to which nearly all its streams are tributary. No mountains or 
high hills are to be found, the undulations being a gentle slope. 
The prairies are sometimes small, and sometimes aggregated in 
large bodies of land interspersed with groups and belts of timber. 
The prairie scenery of the state is unique and enchanting, from 
the graceful undulations of the surface and the wonderful variety 
and richness of natural flowers and shrubbery. 

The soil of the state, of diluvial origin, is unsurpassed in fer- 
tility, and its productive power is admirably brought out by a 
genial and salubrious climate. 

Its mineral deposits are exceedingly valuable. From the great 
diffusion of rocks of the carboniferous group, this state has been 
described as one vast coal field ; but subsequent study and investi- 
gation have corrected these impressions. The northern limit of 
the carboniferous outcrop is a line crossing the state, in a general 
southeast direction, from the mouth of Rock river, including a 



THE WESTERN STATES. 705 

portion of Indiana, and crossing the Ohio river into Kentucky. 
Some outlying coal beds, however, are found to the northeast of 
this line. The coals of Illinois are all bituminous, some being of 
the cannel variety, and rich in carbon. They are conveniently 
located in beds easily accessible to the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, 
and to the railroad lines. In the Silurian limestones, overlapping 
the northwest corner of the state, are found extensive deposits of 
lead, constituting a portion of the great Mississippi lead region ex- 
tending over the coterminous parts of Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin. 
Its climate, extending through five degrees of latitude, presents a 
great diversity of temperature. In the production of corn and 
wheat it is one of the first states in the Union, while its yield of 
other staples is annually augmenting. Its natural communications 
embrace a river and lake navigation of nearly or quite two thousand 
miles, and its commerce has advanced with astonishing strides du- 
ring the last twenty years. Its moral and intellectual forces are 
on a basis co-extensive with its immense physical resources and its 
enormous activities. A large number of colleges and universities, 
with professional schools, give ample facilities for acquiring the 
highest elements of education. The religious establishments, work- 
ing with wonderful power upon the people, vindicate the principle 
of voluntary support, and supply conservative influences of untold 
efficiency upon the welfare of the general community. 

Springfield, the capital of the state, is in Sangamon county, its 
site being a level plain, on the margin of a broad and beautiful 
prairie, adorned with fine groves and some of the more valuable 
farms of the state. It has been denominated the "City of Flow- 
ers," has numerous excellent public and private buildings, and is a 
point of commercial interest. It was first settled about 1819, and 
in 1837 became the capital. Its population in 1870 was 17,365. 

Chicago is the great metropolis of the state, and the most im- 
portant railroad center in the interior of the continent. In respect 
to gigantic growth and marvelous development, it is, perhaps, the 
most extraordinary city in the world. Prior to 1831 the site on 
which it stands was possessed by a frontier fort and a few cabins 
only, embracing, possibly, a score of families, independent of the 
small garrison. The town was organized August 10, 1883, and its 

45 



706 THE WESTERN STATES. 

first charter granted March 4, 1837. Latrobe, an intelligent trav- 
eler who visited it in 1833, thus spoke of it: "This little mush- 
room town is situated on the verge of a level tract of country, for 
the greater part consisting of open prairie lands, at a point where a 
small river whose sources interlock, in the wet season, with those 
of the Illinois river, enters Lake Michigan. It, however, forms 
no harbor, and vessels must anchor in the open lake, which spreads 
to the horizon, on the north and east, in a sheet of uniform extent." 
The contrast between the Chicago of 1833 and the Chicago of to- 
day is wonderfully startling, and the writer of the above paragraph, 
had he been told that this u mushroom town," was so soon to become 
the focus of a commerce equal to that of the foremost cities of Eu- 
rope, and possess a population of 400,000 in half a century, would 
he have credited so astounding a fact, or would he not have con- 
sidered the prognostication the emanation of an infatuated and be- 
wildered brain ? 

The city is situated on the western side of Lake Michigan, and is 
bordered by a wide, rich and beautiful prairie. Its public buildings 
are magnificent, and many of its private residences palatial. Its 
benevolent institutions, churches, colleges, public schools, universi- 
ties, theological seminaries, hotels, theatres, squares and parks, are 
ornaments to the city and illustrative of the matchless enterprise of 
its people, and their intelligent devotion to the cause of humanity, 
education, morals and religion. Situated upon the lake, the steam- 
ships that plough those great inland seas of the north convey mer- 
chandise to and from her harbor, and the nucleus of a network of 
railways, she communicates with the remotest sections of the Union. 
Her grain markets, considered as inland from the seaboard, are unri- 
valed in the world, and her grain elevators, which have been de- 
scribed as amphibious institutions, flourishing only upon the banks 
of navigable waters, if not monstrosities are curiosities. As a beef 
and cattle market it has no rival in the west, and in pork packing 
divides honors with Cincinnati. Its lumbering interests are a 
prominent feature of its expanding commercial business, and its 
manufacturing industries are represented by wrought-iron works, 
steam engines, machinery, agricultural implements, brass and tin 
tin wares, marble works, etc. The commercial activity of Chicago 
has built up quite a number of secondary commercial depots at 






THE WESTERN STATES. 707 

different points in the state in which to gather the elements of the 
splendid tide of trade movement at the great metropolis. This 
commercial system, built upon a gigantic method of productions 
of both raw and manufactured material, promises a still greater en- 
largement in the future. 

In the month of October, 1871, a conflagration, the most appall- 
ing and terrible of any in modern times, swept away three and a 
quarter square miles of the most valuable business blocks and 
residences, with a loss estimated at about $300,000,000. But, not- 
withstanding this destructive calamity, a new Chicago has arisen, 
like the Phoenix from her ashes, grander than the first. Its popu- 
lation in 1870 was 298,977. 

Besides the capital and Chicago, other important towns and cities 
of the state are Quincy, Peoria, Jacksonville, Cairo, Decatur, 
Galesburg, Alton, Bloomington, Galena and Rockford. 

It is said Father Marquette and Perrot visited the site of Chi- 
cago respectively in 1673 and 1670, the lands then being held by 
the Miamis, but subsequently by the Pottawattomies, until the 
treaty with Wayne, 1795. 

The territory comprised in the present state of Illinois was dis- 
covered in 1670, by a company of French colonists, who made their 
first settlements at Kaskaskia and Cahokia, in 1673. It was first 
settled by the French, in whose possession it remained for eighty 
years, from the settlement of La Salle to the treaty of Paris, in 
1763, by which all territory claimed as Louisiana, east of the 
Mississippi, was surrendered to the English. Virginia claimed 
this territory, not only in virtue of her original charter from the 
king of Great Britain, but also by right of conquest. The expe- 
dition of General G. R. Clark, by which the authority of the 
British was finally subverted, was organized and prosecuted under 
authority of the state government of Virginia. This claim, how- 
ever, including both the eminent domain and the proprietary inter- 
est in the soil, was ceded to the United States, on the twenty -third 
of April, 1784, other states, about the same time, surrendering 
their claims to portions of the Northwestern territory. After the 
erection of the state of Ohio, Illinois formed part of the territory 
of Indiana. In 1809 it was constituted a separate political division, 
under the name of Illinois, with boundaries extending northward 



708 THE WESTERN STATES. 

to the national frontier, which status it maintained, with reduced 
limits, until admitted as a state, December 3, 1818. Nathan Ed- 
wards was the first territorial governor, from 1809 to 1818, and 
Shadrach Bond the first state governor, from 1818 to 1822. This 
state was named after its principal river, Illinois, signifying "The 
River of Men." Popular name, " The Sucker, or Prairie State." 



MICHIGAN. 

Michigan is divided, by the lake of the same name, into two 
large peninsulas, the most northern of which, lying between Lakes 
Superior and Michigan, is 316 miles long, and from 36 to 120 
broad, and the southern, included between Lakes Michigan, Huron, 
St. Clair and Erie, is 416 miles long and from 50 to 300 
miles wide. Its area is 56,451 square miles, or 36,128,640 acres. 
Population in 1810, 4,762; 1820, 8,765; 1830, 31,639; 1840, 212,- 
267; 1850, 397,654; 1860, 749,113; 1870, 1,184,059. 

The northern peninsula is more bold and picturesque, and the 
southern richer in agricultural resources. The eastern portion of 
the former rises gradually from the lake shore into an elevated 
plateau and swells westwardly into hills, which finally enlarge into 
the Porcupine mountains, the dividing ridge between Lakes Su- 
perior and Michigan, the highest peaks attaining an altitude of 
1,800 or 2,000 feet. The shores of Lake Superior are studded 
with beautiful scenery, prominent among which are the "Pictured 
Rocks," masses of parti-colored sandstone, sixty miles from Sault 
Ste. Marie, worn by the waves into fantastic shapes resembling 
ruined castles and temples. The southern peninsula is more level 
and is agreeably diversified by beautiful prairie lawns, commonly 
called "oak openings." 

The mineral deposits of Michigan are upon a magnificent scale, 
the upper peninsula being especially rich in this endowment. 
Prominent among its ores are those of copper, which are found in 
several varieties, mostly in the primitive formations. These cop- 
per deposits are the richest in the world, occupying a belt of one 
hundred and twenty miles long and from two to six miles wide. 
On the northern peninsula are found large deposits of iron. The 



THE WESTERN STATES. 709 

production of salt is an advancing interest, and bituminous coal 
is mined in increasing quantities. 

The soil is excellent, especially in the middle and south sections 
of the lower peninsula, being generally free from encumbering rocks, 
and composed of a deep, dark, rich, sandy loam, often mingled with 
gravel and clay. The surfaces of the soil of the upper peninsula 
are various, a considerable portion consisting of sterile sand ridges 
and marshy tracts, while the other or hilly parts are generally cov- 
ered with dense pine forests. Both peninsulas contain extensive 
tracts of heavey timber, furnishing large quantities of lumber and fuel 
for domestic use and exportation. Many varieties of woods suita- 
ble for fine cabinet-work are found within the limits of the state, and 
its pine forests are noted as the source of excellent building mate- 
rial, the lumber trade having become a great and enlarging indus- 
try of immense profit to the people. The yield of 1870 amounted 
to over two billions of feet. The commercial position of Michigan 
is one of remarkable advantage. It has 1,400 miles of lake navi- 
gation along its shores, and a water communication with the At- 
lantic. 

Its public school system is of a high character for thoroughness 
of training and effectiveness of organization. Its university sys- 
tem has already commanded respectful attention among educators, 
not only in this country but also in Europe. Its climate is less 
severe than in the same parallels in the neighboring British 
provinces, being equalized and ameliorated by the immense bodies 
of fresh water on the border. The temperature is admirably 
adapted to wheat in all parts of the state, while in the southern 
part good crops of maize are raised, as well as vast quantities of 
grapes, peaches, and the more delicate fruits. 

Lansing, situated in Ingham county, is the capital of the state, 
the seat of government having been located there in 1847, and re- 
moved there from Detroit in 1850. It has valuable railroad 
connections, and, situated on the Grand river, enjoys the ad- 
vantages of splendid water power. Its population in 1870 was 
5,226. 

Detroit, the metropolis of the state, and the county-seat of 
Wayne county, is situated on the northwest side of the Detroit 
river. It is largely engaged in manufacturing iron machinery, 



710 THE WESTERN STATES. 

locomotives, mill irons, cabinet and brass ware, lumber, window- 
sashes, leather, etc. Ship-building and the lumber trade are im- 
portant branches of industry. Its position is most admirable as a 
commercial point, having extended railway connections and lake 
communications. It was founded by the French in 1670. Popu- 
lation in 1870, 75,580. 

Among other principal towns of the State are Grand Rapids, 
Jackson, Adrian, Kalamazoo, Saginaw, Ann Arbor, Bay City, 
Ypsilanti, etc. 

The state of Michigan was originally settled by the French. 
After the founding of Detroit, in 1670, trading-posts were estab- 
lished at Sault Ste. Marte, Michilimackinac (Mackinaw) and Green 
Bay. "On the expulsion of the French from Canada, and the 
consequent conspiracy of Pontiac, Michigan became involved in a 
war for extermination of the whites ; the garrison of Michilimack- 
inac was butchered, and Detroit suffered a long siege. The 
Americans took possession of the latter place in 1796. Michigan 
then became included in the jurisdiction of the Northwestern ter- 
ritory, and in 1802, on the admission of Ohio as a state into the 
Union, was annexed to the territory of Indiana. In 1803 (Jan- 
uary 11), however, Michigan was also, in its turn, declared a terri- 
tory, under the governorship of General W. Hull. During the 
war of 1812 it suffered severely, Detroit and Michilimackinac 
being captured by the British." It was admitted into the Union 
January 26, 1837. Stevens T. Mason was the first state governor, 
from 1836 to 1840. It was so called, in 1805, from the lake on its 
border. Indian name, meaning "A weir for fish." Popular name, 
" The Wolverine State." 



WISCONSIN. 

Wisconsin was created from the territory ceded to the United 
States by the state of Virginia. By act of February 3, 1809, the 
region now known as Wisconsin was attached to the territory of 
Illinois until 1818, when the latter was admitted into the Union as 
a state, and Wisconsin was attached to Michigan as a territory for 
all purposes of government. It embraces an area of 59,924 square 



THE WESTEEN STATES. 71 1 

miles, or 34,511,360 acres. Population in 1840, 30,945; 1850, 
305,391; 1860, 775,881; 1870, 1,054,670. 

" The surface features of Wisconsin are simple and symmetrical 
in character, and present a configuration intermediate between the 
mountainous, on the one hand, and a monotonous level on the 
other. The highest summits within the state rise a little more 
than one thousand two hundred feet above its lowest surfaces. A 
few exceptional peaks rise from four hundred to six hundred feet 
above their bases, but abrupt elevations of more than two hundred 
or three hundred feet are not common. Viewed as a whole, the 
state may be regarded as occupying a swell of land lying between 
three notable depressions: Lake Michigan on the east, about five 
hundred and seventy-eight feet above the mean tide of the ocean, 
Lake Superior on the north, about six hundred feet above the sea, 
and the valley of the Mississippi river, whose elevation at the Illi- 
nois state line is slightly below that of Lake Michigan. From 
these depressions the surface slopes upward to the summit altitudes 
of the state, but the rate of ascent is unequal. From Lake Mich- 
igan the surface rises by a long, general acclivity westward and 
northward. A similar slope ascends from the Mississippi valley to 
meet this, and their junction forms a north and south arch extend- 
ing nearly the entire length of the state. From Lake Superior 
the surface ascends rapidly to the water-shed, which it reaches 
within about thirty miles of the lake."* 

The soils of the state are rather varied ; those in the southern 
part, and especially those in the southeast, are very productive, but 
in the northern areas they become thinner and better suited to pas- 
turage. The agricultural footings of Wisconsin exhibit large 
yields of wheat, rye, oats, barley, corn, hay, flax, potatoes, tobacco, 
grasses, which compose the chief field products. A large part of 
the state is admirably adapted to fruit raising, and all kinds of veg- 
etables flourish in the northern latitudes in abundance and perfec- 
tion. 

The geology of the state is comparatively simple, the series of 
rocks extending only from the trappean, or primary system, to the 
devonian. Its whole surface, with the exception of the lead re- 

*T. C. Chamberlain, State Geologist, in Snyder and Van Vechten's Historical 
Atlas of Wisconsin. 







712 THE WESTEKN STATES. 

gions in the southwest, and the country lying along the Mississippi 
river, is covered by the remains of the " glacial " or " drift " period, 
consisting of disintegrated fragments of most every geological forma- 
tion. Hence it is that soils of great uniformity of character cover 
large areas, since the drift deposit rather than the underlying rocks 
gives character to the soil. All the geological formations are older 
than the coal measures, and hence no coal deposits are found in the 
state. The Potsdam sandstone is found on Lake Superior, em- 
bracing calcareous deposits, fossil remains of animals, etc., while in 
some of the southwest counties the Galena limestone is present, 
yielding copper, zinc and lead. Iron ores are worked in several 
localities, extensive beds existing throughout the state. Deposits 
of peat and shell marl are found in the beds of ancient lakes, and 
in the extensive marshes plumbago and gypsum exist in considera- 
ble quantities. Clays also abound adapted to the manufacture of 
earthen wares. 

The northern districts of the state yield immense quantities of 
timber of the finest quality, the white and Norway pines consti- 
tuting the basis of the forests of the state. Sixty varieties of 
timber are found within its borders. 

Madison, the political capital of the state, is beautifully situated 
between the Third and the Fourth of the chain of the Four Lakes, in 
the midst of a fertile agricultural region. It was chosen as the 
seat of government in 1836, chartered as a city March 4, 1856, and 
in 1870 had a population of 9,176. The city " perhaps combines 
and overlooks more charming and diversified scenery, to please the 
eye of fancy and promote health and pleasure, than any other town 
in the west. Its bright lakes, fresh groves, rippling rivulets, shady 
dales and flowery meadow lawns are commingled in greater pro- 
fusion, and disposed in more picturesque order, than we have ever 
elsewhere beheld." 

Milwaukee, the great commercial metropolis of Wisconsin, is 
situated on the western shore of Lake Michigan, ninety miles 
north of Chicago. It is one of the leading railroad centers in the 
state, and in fact of the great northwest, enjoying a vigorous trade 
with the finest wheat-growing areas of the globe, and has long been 
classed as the greatest primary wheat market of the world. It 
possesses one of the best harbors on the northern lakes, supports a 



THE WESTERN STATES. 713 

regular line of steam propellers, communicating with all the prin- 
cipal ports on the great chain of lakes, with one crossing the lake 
to Grand Haven, during nine months of the year. In 1870 its 
population was 71,499. It was settled in 1834-35, although it had 
long been a trading-post, and in 1846 it was incorporated as a city. 

Racine, Kenosha, Fond-du-Lac, Oshkosh, Janesville, Beloit, 
Green Bay and Watertown are flourishing towns and cities of the 
state. 

It is believed that adventurers and missionaries, as early as 
1634, penetrated the territory embraced within the present state of 
"Wisconsin, then under the dominion of the Sioux and Algonquin 
nations. Father Rene Menard, in 1660, visited its northern part, 
and ten years thereafter Father Claudius Allouez appeared among 
the Menomonees, for the purpose of an attempt to christianize 
them. The French held jurisdiction of the territory from 1671 to 
1761, but in 1760 it was surrendered to the British, when it was 
under the dominion of Canadian laws until after the revolution. 
Great Britain withdrew her garrison from the post at Green Bay in 
1796. Butterfield, the historian of the state, in the Historical At- 
las already referred to, and noted for his great accuracy, says : " An 
early French-Canadian trading station, at the head of Green Bay, 
assumed finally the form of a permanent settlement — the first one 
in Wisconsin. To claim, however, that any French-Canadian is 
entitled to the honor of being the first permanent white settler, is 
assuming for him more than the facts seem to warrant. The title 
of 'The Father and Founder of Wisconsin/ belongs to no man." 

Wisconsin was organized as a territory April 20, 1836, adopted 
a constitution January 21, 1847, and was admitted to the Union 
March 3, 1847. Henry Dodge was the first territorial governor, 
from 1836 to 1841, and Nelson Dewey the first state governor, from 
1848 to 1851. It was named from its principal river, in the In- 
dian tongue meaning, " Wild rushing water." . Popular name, 
" The Badger State." 



MINNESOTA. 



Minnesota, one of the most northern states of the American 
Union, has a length from north to south of 380 miles, and a 




714 THE WESTERN STATES. 

breadth of 350 miles. It contains 83,531 square miles, or 53,- 
450,840 acres. Population in 1850, 6,077; 1860, 172,023; 1870, 
439,706. 

" Lying near the center of the continent, Minnesota occupies 
the summit of the interior plateau formed by the converging basins 
of the Mississippi river, Lake Superior and Lake Winnipeg, em- 
bracing the head waters of the three great river systems of North 
America. Its series of undulating plains, seldom broken by abrupt 
elevations, and never rising into mountains, present an agreeable 
variety of prairie, alternating with belts of heavy timber, and 
studded with beautiful lakes, whose inter-communication, together 
with the large and numerous rivers, form a system of internal 
navigation permeating all parts of the state. " 

The general surface of the state is sufficiently undulating for 
all ends of successful drainage, yet in most cases admits of easy 
and profitable tillage. 

The soils are rich and fertile, the climate invigorating and de- 
lightful. Prairie and timber alternate, and droughts are not of 
frequent occurrence. The great lakes of the east and north, and 
the many streams and smaller lakes that diversify this region, with 
the Mississippi and Red rivers on the north, furnish such a vast 
surface for solar action during the summer that evaporation is rapid 
and is generally condensed by the cool nights, watering the earth 
with numerous and seasonable gentle showers. 

The mineral ranges consist of iron, copper, coal, lead, excel- 
lent slates, limestone, potters' clay and Indian pipe stone, or red 
clay. 

No state has greater natural advantages for crop raising and 
grazing. In nearly every section there is abundant supply of tim- 
ber, while the adjacent and fertile prairies are waiting for the plow. 
Thousands of cattle are fed on the nutritious grasses of the low- 
lands, enhancing, the revenues of the farmer with little care and 
labor. 

The water power of the state is wonderful, that of St. Anthony 
being equal to one hundred and twenty thousand horse power, all 
of which is utilized, whereby hundreds of millions of feet of sawed 
timber are annually manufactured. Its forests of pine in the north 
portion are simply inexhaustible. The state is being supplied with 



THE WESTERN STATES. 715 

railroads in nearly every direction, furnishing facilities for the 
shipment of every article to and from the settlers, and constituting 
a network of communication that will rapidly unfold the resources 
of the state. The authorities are bestowing special attention upon 
education, and the school system of Minnesota compares with that 
of any of the commonwealths of the west. 

St. Paul, situated nine miles below the falls of St. Anthony, 
and on the left bank of the Mississippi river, and over two thou- 
sand miles from the Gulf of Mexico, is the capital of the state. 
Its site is that of a bluff, rising above the river levels to a height 
of seventy or eighty feet. The city has had an almost magical 
growth, and in 1870 had a population over 20,000. It was perma- 
nently settled in 1838, made the capital eleven years afterward, and 
chartered as a city in 1854. It is at the head of steamboat naviga- 
tion on the Mississippi, and is connected by rail with Milwaukee, 
Chicago, Duluth, etc. It is the largest city in the state, though 
Minneapolis, Winona, St. Anthony, Rochester, etc., command 
much importance. 

As early as 1679 the Franciscan priest, Louis Hennepin, with 
some fur traders, explored the upper Mississippi to the falls, which 
he reverently named St. Anthony. In 1776 Captain Jonathan 
Carver, a citizen of Connecticut, visited the country. About 1805 
the first actual settlements were made. It was organized as a ter- 
ritory March 3, 1849, and a government established in June, its 
dimensions being double its present area, and extending on the 
west to the Missouri river. It was admitted to the Union Febru- 
ary 14, 1859. Alexander Ramsey was the first territorial gover- 
nor, from 1849 to 1853, and Henry H. Lilley the first state gover- 
nor, in 1858. Minnesota is an Indian word, meaning " The Whitish 
Water." Popular name, "The Gopher State.' ' 



IOWA. 



Iowa occupies a delightful zone between the parallels of forty 
degrees and thirty minutes, and forty-three degrees and thirty 
minutes north latitude, extending from the Mississippi to the Mis- 
souri. Its extreme length is about 300 miles, with a nearly 
uniform breadth of 208 miles, including an area of 55,045 square 






716 THE WESTEKN STATES. 

miles, or 35,228,800 acres. Population in 1840, 43,112; 1850, 
192,214; 1860, 674,913; 1870, 1,194,020. 

The soil of the state is exceedingly fertile and presents a great 
diversity of graceful undulations, securing effective drainage, and 
is delightfully varied with agreeable alternations of prairie and 
timber land. These undulations, characteristic of the high or up- 
land prairies, are the most beautiful and usually the best suited to 
cultivation, and remind the tourist very strikingly of the swells 
and surges of the sea ; and hence the appellation of " rolling 
prairies." 

The climate is most wholesome and salubrious, being dry and 
invigorating, supplying easy transitions from the enervating heat of 
Missouri, on the south, to the lower temperature of Minnesota, on 
the north. The climate of the southern portion is adapted to maize, 
while that of the north is more congenial to the production of 
wheat. The soil is well watered with springs and streams. 

The mineralogy of the state is both valuable and extensive. 
The vast coal field of Missouri and Iowa covers an area of 25,000 
square miles, or 16,000,000 acres, in the central and southern por- 
tions of the state, bounded by a line approaching to a semi-circle, 
outside of which is a belt of the upper carboniferous limestone, of 
variant width; the channel of the Mississippi, on the southeast, 
cuts through a belt of lower carboniferous limestone. The coal 
veins of the state are not generally so thick as in the southern por- 
tion of the same coal field in Missouri. The great Mississippi 
lead region extends into Iowa, forming the basis of an extensive 
mining enterprise, Dubuque being the center of the lead produc- 
tion. Copper and zinc also prevail in some localities. 

The enlargement of fields of agricultural enterprise in Iowa 
has been most unprecedented, even amid the remarkable develop- 
ments of the western sections of the country. The introduction of 
hedges has contributed an element of pleasing beauty to Iowa 
landscapes, superceding the cumbrous and non-attractive fences 
found in other states. 

Its multiplicity of high schools, of superior character, its nu- 
merous colleges and universities, are the intelligent product of the 
moral and intellectual forces of this massive civilization. Its pop- 
ulation is marvelously augmenting, as is evidenced by the statistics- 



THE WESTEKN STATES. 717 

of the last four decades, the state annually receiving its quota from 
the foreign immigration. 

Des Moines, the capital of the state since 1855, situated at the 
head of steam navigation on the river of the same name, is a 
thriving city, with a population, in 1870, of 12,035. 

Davenport, on the Mississippi, is the largest city in the state, 
and was first settled in 1836. It has an extensive river commerce 
and railway connections with the country at large, and had a pop- 
ulation, in 1870, of 20,042. It was named after Colonel Davenport, 
a native of Britain, who removed to this country and became an 
officer in the American army, in 1812, and who was assassinated, 
by outlaws, in 1845. 

Dubuque, on the Mississippi, was settled in 1833, and fourteen 
years thereafter chartered as a city. It is said to be one of the 
handsome and desirable cities of the state. Its site is upon a table 
area or terrace, but notwithstanding surface irregularities, it is 
tastefully and regularly built. It was first settled by Canadian- 
French, in 1786, for the purpose of traffic with the Indians. 
Independent of its being the great mineral depot of the Iowa lead 
region, it is a center of trade, and interchanges largely with the 
interior, of which it is an outlet. Its population, in 1870, was 
18,404. 

Burlington, on the Mississippi, has many fine public edifices, 
numerous manufacturing establishments, and a large commerce. 
The lands on which the city is built rise gradually from the river 
to the bluffs, which form a sort of amphitheater around it. Black 
Hawk, the celebrated Indian sachem, is buried here. It was first 
settled in 1833; in 1838 it was made the seat of government under 
the territorial organization of Iowa ; the next year the capital was 
removed to Iowa City, and in 1855 to Des Moines. 

Keokuk, another of the growing cities of the great river, like 
them enjoys remarkable facilities for trade and transportation, 
both by rail and water. Its name is that of an Indian chief, and 
in 1870 had a population of 12,769. 

Council Bluffs, Muscatine, Iowa City, Fort Madison, Indepen- 
dence, etc., are other towns and cities of Iowa. 

Iowa once formed a part of the French possessions, and was 
included in the vast tract of country purchased in 1803, under the 




718 THE WESTERN STATES. 

general name of Louisiana. The first purchase of lands from the 
Indians was made in 1832. It was first settled at Dubuque, by 
Julien Dubuque, an adventurer and trader; formed from lands 
purchased from the Indian aboriginees; organized as a territory 
June 12, 1808, and admitted to the Union December 28, 1846. 
Robert Lucas was the first territorial governor, from 1838 to 1841, 
and Ansel Briggs the first state governor, from 1846 to 1850. 
Iowa, so called from its principal river, meaning, in Indian, " The 
sleepy ones." Popular name, " Hawkeye State. " 



MISSOURI. 



Missouri, a part of the region of country acquired from France 
in 1803, has an extreme length, from east to west, of 318 miles, its 
width being 280 miles, with an area of 65,350 square miles, or 
41,824,000 acres. Population in 1810, 20,845 ; 1820, 66,557 ; 1830, 
140,455; 1840, 383,702; 1850, 682,044; 1860, 1,182,012; 1870, 
1,721,295. 

Almost every variety of surface, except the extremely moun- 
tainous, is compassed within this state. The Ozark mountains 
occupy a large portion of the interior south of the Missouri, ex- 
tending to the southwest corner of the state; but they are rather 
high hills and ridges than mountains, with prairies intervening. 
In the southeast the country is low, flat and marshy, but is said to 
once have been susceptible of cultivation ; its depressed and marshy 
character being the result of the earthquakes of 1811-12. West 
of the Ozark the surface spreads out with broad, rolling prairies, 
extending to the western boundary. North of the Missouri the 
country attains the highest altitude in the northwest, gradually in- 
clining to the south and east — all the streams flowing south. The 
divide between the waters flowing into the Mississippi and those 
uniting with the Missouri from the north, constitutes an elevated 
plain, and is traversed by the North Missouri railroad. Besides 
these general undulations there are frequent irregularities of sur- 
face, which give the whole its rolling character. The numerous 
water-courses everywhere intersecting the country have worn deep 
valleys, giving some places a rough and broken appearance. The 



THE WESTERN STATES. 719 

general surface is, however, level. The valleys form an important 
feature in th^ physical structure of the state, and exercise a mate- 
rial influence upon its climate. The bottom lands are exceedingly 
fertile, and on the large streams vary in width from two to ten 
miles, those on the smaller streams being of a proportionate width. 

The Missouri river divides the state into two sections, distin- 
guished from each other by unlike geographical and geologic 
conditions. South of the river, as far west as the Osage, the 
country is rolling, and rises to hilly and mountainous aspects, the 
geologic structure consisting of solid strata of carboniferous and 
silurian limestone and sandstone, reposing on or around the un- 
stratified primary rocks. The soils in this region partake very 
largely of decomposed limestone, sienite and magnesian limestone, 
and possess average fertility, unless impaired by the presence of 
oxyde of iron, as is the case in mineral regions. The lands north 
of the Missouri are not so elevated or mountainous, and are exceed- 
ingly fertile and productive. Carboniferous limestone composes 
its substratum, the soils being largely calcareous, or abounding in 
lime, and arenaceous, or sandy, the former class of soils producing 
lavishly, especially on the margins of the rivers. In fact, it may 
be said of the soils of Missouri that they include an extensive va- 
riety, and afford splendid facilities for a remarkably varied agricul- 
ture. The alluvial districts have light, deep, porous, silicious soils, 
are very productive and little susceptible to the influences or effects 
of wet or dry seasons. In the southeast and marshy regions the 
soil is rich and carries an immense crop of vegetation. The uplands 
present even a greater variety of soils and surface, and are avail- 
able for broader areas of cultivation. 

The mineralogy of Missouri is immensely rich. " The iron re- 
gion around Iron mountain and Pilot Knob is unsurpassed in the 
world for the abundance and purity of its deposits. On the Mara- 
mee river, and in some other localities, are found small quantities of 
lead. Copper is found extensively deposited, being most abundant 
near the La Motte mines. It is also found with nickel, manganese, 
iron, cobalt and lead, in combinations, yielding from thirty to forty 
per cent. All these metals, except nickel, exist in considerable 
quantities ; also silver in combination with lead ore and tin. Lime- 
stone, marble, and other eligible building material are abundant, 






720 THE WESTERN STATES. 

especially north of the Missouri. The geological formations of the 
state are principally those between the upper coal measures and 
the lower silurian rocks. The drift is spread over a large surface; 
in the north vast beds of bituminous coal, including cannel coal, 
exist on both sides of the Missouri river." 

The climate of Missouri is variable, and characterized by great 
extremes of temperature at opposite seasons of the year, but is 
generally healthful. 

Its physical position is most advantageous as applied to com- 
merce, being threaded by lines of inter-oceanic railways, and oth- 
ers converging toward St. Louis, while the great highway of trade 
sweeping along its eastern boundary offers a ready and economical 
transportation for its agricultural and mineral products to the finest 
markets, domestic and foreign. Suitable provision has been made 
for advancing the interest of education in the state, while the 
church accommodations favorably compare with other sections of 
the west. 

Jefferson City, on the River Missouri, is the political capital 
of the state, and in 1870 had a population of upwards of 5,000. 

St. Louis, the great commercial metropolis of the Mississippi 
valley, is situated on the west bank of the Mississippi river, 
twenty miles south of the confluence of the Missouri, and nearly 
one thousand two hundred miles above New Orleans. The site of 
the city has been thus described: "It rises from the river by two 
plateaus of limestone formation; the first twenty and the other 
sixty feet above the floods of the Mississippi. The ascent to the 
first plateau, or bottom, as it may be termed, is somewhat abrupt; 
the second rises more gradually, and spreads out into an extensive 
plain, affording fine views of the city and river." It is rapidly 
growing in wealth and commercial importance, and as a manufactur- 
ing point is surrounded on all sides by regions immensely rich in 
almost every element of agricultural and mineral wealth. 

St. Louis is emphatically and pre-eminently a manufacturing 
city. Its proximity to the ore mountains of the state, and the con- 
tiguity of its coal mines invest it with advantages in this respect 
enjoyed by no other city in the west. Her flouring mills are con- 
ducted upon an immense basis, and her sugar refineries supply a 
large per cent, of the saccharine delicacy consumed in the vast re- 



THE WESTERN STATES. 721 

gions of the Mississippi. The production of oils, chemicals, to- 
bacco, etc., and the conversion of hemp into bale rope and bagging, 
and the packing of pork, beef, hams, etc., furnish employment to 
an army of experts and laborers. The manufacture of iron sur- 
passes all others in the magnitude of its ramified operations and in 
the aggregation of capital employed. Its public edifices, the City 
Hall, Court House, Custom House, Merchants' Exchange, United 
States Arsenal, are constructed upon a magnificent scale. Its 
churches, benevolent and educational institutions, etc., testify to the 
wisdom and intelligence of the spirit that inspired them. Situated 
in the geographical center of the Mississippi valley, its advantages 
as a great commercial depot can not well be exaggerated, while the 
resources of its immediately adjacent country are immense and won- 
derful. In an area of less than one hundred miles from the great 
pulsating heart of the city, iron, coal and lead are sufficiently plenty 
to supply the entire country for indefinite eras in its upward and 
unraveled history, and of this region St. Louis is the chief and nat- 
ural outlet. Capital alone is needed for the development and dis- 
persion of the treasures of these riches, and St. Louis, unaccus- 
tomed to fictions in trade and business, possesses the wealth, within 
her own hand, for the stupendous achievement. 

The three great rivers, Mississippi, Missouri and Ohio, furnish 
it uninterrupted and connected water-ways for a distance of up- 
wards of eight thousand miles, passing through immense areas, 
productive beyond description in mineral, vegetable, forest and 
animal products, and demanding for the support of their multiply- 
ing population a vast amount of manufactures and productions of 
foreign countries and the seaboard states. 

St. Louis was settled by the French in 1764, but was little 
more than an Indian trading post until the territorial government 
was formed. It was named by La Clede, an old trapper, in honor 
of Louis XV. of France, who, in 1764, visited the spot now occu- 
pied by the city. In 1822 it was incorporated as a city. Its pop- 
ulation, in 1830, was 6,694, and in 1870, 310,864. 

Kansas city, on the Missouri river, near the mouth of the Kan- 
sas, infused with the fresh blood of ambitious enterprise, is rapidly 
ascending to enviable heights of manufacturing and commercial 
46 



722 THE WESTERN STATES. 

prominence. The country surrounding it is beautiful and em- 
inently fertile. It maintains an extensive trade upon the waters of 
the upper Missouri, is centrally located, is the focus of a great rail- 
way system, and very largely controls the cattle market of Texas. 
It was incorporated in 1853, and in 1870 had a population of 
32,260. 

St. Joseph, on the Missouri, originally a starting point for the 
emigrant trains bent toward the Rockies and the Pacific slope, is a 
city of growing importance; as may also be said of Hannibal, 
which enjoys a deserved prosperity, and is considerable of a man- 
ufacturing point. 

Missouri was included with Louisiana in the purchase from the 
French in 1803. As early as 1673 it was visited by Marquette 
and Joliet. It was organized June 4, 1812, and admitted August 
10, 1821. Alexander McNair was the governor from 1820 to 
1824. It was so called, in 1821, from its chief river, and in the 
Indian interpretation means " Muddy water." 



ARKANSAS. 

Arkansas was one of the southwestern states of the Federal 
Union, is 242 miles in length, from north to south, with varying 
breadth from 170 to 220 miles, including an area of 52,198 square 
miles, or 33,406,720 acres. Population in 1820, 14,255; 1830, 
30,388 ; 1840, 97,571 ; 1850, 209,897 ; 1860, 435,450 • 1870, 484,471. 

The physical conformation of the state is decidedly advantageous 
and very greatly enhances the value of its geographical position. 
In the southeast corner of the state the altitude of the surface does 
not exceed two hundred feet above tide-water. From this point 
the country rises to the northwest, and in the interior attains an 
altitude of two thousand feet on the extensive plateau, while the 
mountains reach an altitude of three thousand feet. Within the 
space of about two hundred and forty miles, from north to south, 
in the limits of this state, are to be found all the climatic and other 
conditions of ten degrees of latitude. Thus, in the southern sec- 
tions of Arkansas many varieties of semi-tropical fruits and plants 
grow successfully, and great southern staples are abundantly pro- 



THE WESTERN STATES. 723 

duced. Approaching the northern sections, all these products give 
place to the great staples and products of the northern states. So 
varied and extensive is the soil and its products, that with but few 
exceptions all the cereals, plants and fruits known to American 
husbandry may be produced within the limits of the state. The 
more eastern portion, bordering the Mississippi, includes a broad 
alluvial belt from thirty to one hundred miles in width ; the lands 
being low, level, and subject to inundations in many places. 

The principal rivers of the state are the Arkansas, Red river, 
Washita and St. Francis, the valleys of which, with the exception 
of lagoons, swamps and other depressions, are generally very fer- 
tile. The Arkansas is the largest river in the state, and next to 
the Missouri in importance as a tributary of the Mississippi ; is 
navigable throughout the state, a distance of five hundred and 
ninety miles. Red river waters the extreme southwestern part of 
the state, which is a rich agricultural and grazing region. This 
productive valley is a part of the great cotton-growing country of 
the southwest, and is also well adapted to the culture of sugar 
cane. 

The geology of the state was explored as late as 1858-60. The 
geological survey of the state, by Dr. David D. Owen, reveals a 
great variety of mineral deposits. In the district north of the 
Arkansas river, the three leading formations are the il mill-stone 
grit, with its associate shales and conglomerate ; the sub-carbonif- 
erous limestone and its associate chert, shales and sandstones; and 
the magnesian limestones and their associate sandstones, calciferous 
sand rocks and chert, belonging to the lower silurian period." 
The mineral products are reported to be very considerable, "in- 
cluding zinc, manganese, iron, lead and copper; marble, whet and 
hone stones, rock-crystal, paints, nitrous earths, kaolin, granite, 
freestone, limestone, marls, greensand, marly limestone, grind- 
stones and slate." The zinc ores are said to compare favorably 
with those of Silesia, while the argentiferous galena supplies a 
large average percentage of silver. There are abundant quantities 
of anthracite and lignite coal. Numerous mineral and thermal 
springs occur in various parts of the state, the most remarkable 
and most frequently visited groups lying to the south of the Ar- 



724 THE WESTEEN STATES. 

kansas, in Hot Springs county, the heat of several of these attain- 
ing one hundred and forty-six degrees Fahrenheit. 

The forest vegetation consists of yellow pine and white oak ; 
the bald cypress, of immense size ; the tupelo gum, most valuable 
for economic purposes ; cabinet woods, such as maple, wild cherry 
and black walnut; and besides these, hickory, ash, beech, pecan, 
sycamore, cedar, elm, etc. 

The soils of the state are fertile. Cotton is an important staple, 
and forms the basis of much of its agricultural wealth. Corn is a 
general article of production, and yields abundant returns. Wheat 
is cultivated in the various regions within its borders and produces 
well, especially on the alluvions. Oats, barley, the native grasses 
and root crops of the temperate zone, apples, peaches, pears, grapes, 
and some of the semi-tropical fruits, all grow, flourish and mature 
in Arkansas. 

Little Rock, the capital of the state, and originally a French 
settlement, is situated on the right bank of Arkansas river, three 
hundred and eight miles from its confluence with the Mississippi, 
has an active trade, and in 1870 had a population of 12,380. In 
1820 the seat of government was established here. 

Arkansas was discovered by De Soto in 1541, colonized by the 
French in the seventeenth century, and a grant of land on the 
Arkansas made to John Law in 1720 by Louis XV. The territory 
was handed over to Spain in 1763, but returned to France in 1800. 
It was purchased by the United States in 1803 along with the rest 
of what was then called Louisiana ; was organized as a territory 
March 2, 1819, and admitted to the Union June 15, 1836. James 
Miller was the first territorial governor, from 1819 to 1825, and 
James S. Conway was the first state governor, from 1836 to 1840. 
Arkansas, an Indian name, assigned in 1812, from its leading river. 
Popular name, " The Bear State." 






KANSAS. 



Kansas, a west-central state of the Union, has a length, from 
east to west, of 400 miles, with a uniform width of over 200 miles, 
embracing an area of 81,318 square miles, or 52,043,520 acres. Pop- 
ulation in 1860, 107,206; 1870, 364,399. 



THE WESTERN STATES. 725 

The physical conformation of Kansas is quite uniform, consist- 
ing chiefly of level prairie, slightly rolling to the west, but nowhere 
characterized by either depressions or elevations. The region 
lying to the eastward of the state is fairly timbered, especially 
along the borders of the streams and rivers; the forest growths 
composed of oak, ash, cottonwood, sycamore, hickory, walnut, 
sugar-maple, etc. No swamps, or overflowed lands, or mountain 
elevations exist in this state. 

Kansas may be properly termed as one of the great cereal 
states, its position in that grand territorial division being deter- 
mined. Its soils vary considerably according to locality. In the 
extreme west part is a sterile district, running southwest from lati- 
tude forty-seven degrees north to New Mexico ; but in the eastern 
portion the areas are remarkably fertile and suited to all the heavier 
cereals. The uplands or rolling prairies, which are supposed to 
include the second-class lands, are usually preferable for wheat and 
other small grains. 

The climate of Kansas may be said to be undergoing climatic 
transformation, in consequence of the cultivation of the soil and 
the planting of orchards and forest trees, which presume a more 
equal distribution of moisture. The state is a portion of the 
" Great American Desert," which is being settled by an industrious 
population, who, by planting shrubbery, hedges, forest trees and 
orchards, are making it one of the most productive regions of our 
great west. 

Its principal rivers are the Kansas, Arkansas, Neosha and Eed 
Fork of the Arkansas ; the Missouri defining the northeast bor- 
der of the state. 

Deposits of iron prevail in the western part of the state, and 
similar beds exist in its central portions, which, however, are com- 
paratively valueless for manufactures, in consequence of the 
admixture of sand. In the eastern counties, coal of rich quality 
is being found, and lignite is being mined on the Smoky Hill 
Fork and its tributaries, and is used by the railroads for fuel. 
Kaolin is known to exist, and marble has been discovered in shaft- 
ing for coal, at a depth of three hundred feet, in stratums of twelve 
feet in thickness, and is pronounced less destructible than the 
Italian. 



726 THE WESTEKN STATES. 

Kansas may be considered as being in a highly prosperous con- 
dition, and destined, as her resources are developed, to contribute 
material wealth to the nation in greater ratio than has heretofore 
been anticipated. 

Topeka is the capital of the state, its site being on the south 
bank of the Kansas river. It was first settled about 1854, its 
name in the aboriginal translation meaning " Wild potato." The 
city is favorably situated, is steadily improving and clearly fore- 
shadows a prosperous future. Its population in 1870 was 5,790. 

Leavenworth, the largest city in the state, is eligibly situated 
on the west side of the Missouri river, and in 1870 had a popula- 
tion of 17,850. It enjoys an extensive river trade; has valuable 
railway connection with the different sections of the country ; in 
many respects its position is decidedly advantageous. Old Fort 
Leavenworth was built by the United States authority in 1827. 

Lawrence, with a population in 1870 of over 8,000, was settled 
in 1854 by emigrants from the Massachusetts Aid Society, and was 
named after Amos Lawrence. It has had a checkered history, and 
met with adverse currents, yet it has ridden down the storms and 
its prosperity is firm and secure. 

Kansas was visited by the French in 1720. It constituted a 
portion of the Louisiana purchase obtained in 1803 from France, 
and was subsequently embraced in the Missouri, Arkansas and In- 
dian territories, from which it was made a separate territory. It 
was admitted to the Union January 29, 1862. A. H. Reeder was 
the first territorial governor, and Charles Robinson the first state 
governor, in 1861. Kansas, an Indian name, implying the " Smoky 
Water." Popular name, " The Jayhawker State." 



NEBRASKA. 

Nebraska, extending west from the Missouri river to the twenty- 
fifth and twenty-seventh meridian of longitude west from Wash- 
ington, and south from the forty-third to the fortieth degree of 
latitude, contains 75,905 square miles, or 48,636,800 acres. Popu- 
lation in 1860, 28,841; 1870, 122,993. 

This region of country, formerly referred to in our maps as a 
part of the " Great American Desert," is almost entirely prairie, 



THE WESTEKN STATES. 727 

with an undulating surface. Science suggests that the country was 
formerly a great inland sea. Near the base of the Rocky moun- 
tains is found a sandy belt of irregular contour, partially defining 
the outline of the former water surface. In the western part of 
the state are sand hills, or dunes, which have been raised by the 
prevailing winds piling up the dry, loose materials by which they 
are shaped into their present picturesque forms. These hills have 
their elongated slopes to the winds, the opposite sides being quite 
steep, presenting the appearance of high billows, all apparently 
drifting in the same direction. The Missouri, which forms the 
eastern limit of the state, flows through a vast bottom bounded by 
high bluffs of trap clay. The channel of the river, inclining to the 
western shore, leaves the great bulk of the bottoms on the eastern, 
or Iowa side. It seems to follow along the line of the state 
through a rupture in the underlying rocks, with a width of fissure 
not yet exactly known. 

The best portion of the state is compassed in the valley of the 
Platte which extends from one to two hundred miles on each side 
of that broad and swift but shallow river. The Wood, the Loup 
Fork, with its numerous branches, and the Elkhorn, discharge their 
waters into the Platte. 

Wood in Nebraska is not abundant, consisting of few varieties, 
the cotton wood being the most considerable. Oak, elm, hick- 
ory and hackberry — the last a hard wood, but little known in this 
part of the continent — are also found. The soil in the arable por- 
tion of the state is a rich loam, with an impregnation of lime, this 
soil varying from two to ten feet in depth, the deepest being of 
course on the bottom lands, which receive the debris from the 
bluffs. This loam is free from gravel, easily plowed, very pliable, 
resisting unusual wet or drought, and peculiarly adapted to the 
growth of corn and wheat. Few swamps exist in the state, and the 
sterile lands, with the exception of the sand hills, may be made 
productive with irrigation. 

Coal has been discovered in some regions of the state, and dif- 
ferent varieties and colors of building limestone ; also a dark, 
yellowish-gray sandstone and a dark-red freestone. These are 
often soft when quarried, and easily dressed, but harden when ex- 
posed to air and sun. 



728 THE WESTEKN STATES. 

The climate of the state is neither torrid nor frigid, but mild, 
healthy and exhilarating. Speaking of the status of education, a 
recent governor of the state said : " We already have more organ- 
ized schools, more school-houses erected, and those of superior 
character, more money invested in buildings, books and apparatus, 
than were ever had before by any state of our age." 

Nebraska, instead of being, as it was once described, a " shore 
at the termination of a vast ocean desert nearly one thousand miles 
in breadth, and interposing a final barrier to the establishment of 
large communities — agricultural, mercantile, or even pastoral," is 
a fertile and beautiful region, possessing the elements of a remark- 
able future development, and destined to be an agricultural and 
grazing state, millions of acres being available for such pursuits, 
and millions more for grazing cattle. 

Lincoln, the capital of the state, is situated about eighty miles 
southwest of Omaha, with which it has railway communication. 
It was made the seat of government in 1867, its site being then a 
houseless, habitationless prairie ; but five years thereafter its regis- 
tered voters were twelve hundred and twenty-eight, and it was 
valued for taxation at nearly two millions of dollars. Its growth, 
though rapid, has been healthy. 

Omaha, the seat of justice of Douglas county, is situated on the 
Missouri river, opposite to Council Bluffs. It is regularly laid 
out, and lies on an elevation or plateau between the bluffs and the 
river. It is one of the principal stations of the Union Pacific rail- 
road, enjoys a fair river trade, and has fine facilities for water and 
rail communication. The town was founded in 1854; in 1860 it 
had less than 2,000 inhabitants, and in 1870 had a population of 
16,083. 

Nebraska, originally included in the Louisiana purchase, was 
organized as a territory May 30, 1854, and admitted to the Union 
March 1, 1867. William O. Butler was the first territorial gov- 
ernor, 1854, and David Butler the first state governor, from 1867 
to 1871. 



COLORADO. 

Colorado, lying south of Wyoming, has been aptly called the 



THE WESTERN STATES. 729 

"Switzerland of America." It extends 260 miles north and south, 
and 375 miles east and west over the grand region of country 
called, from its central position and superior elevation, " the back- 
bone of the continent." Its area is nearly 106,500 square miles, 
or 68,160,000 acres. 

" This territory is traversed from north to south by the great 
continental chain of the Rocky mountains, and according to its 
orographical configuration may be divided into a mountain district, 
a hill district and a plain district. The principal range of these 
mountains bears the name of the Sawatch Range. It consists of a 
solid mass of granite, has an average elevation of thirteen thousand 
five hundred feet, presents a broad and massive outline, and has a 
mean breadth of from fifteen to twenty miles. It is really a prolon- 
gation of the Sierra Madre of Mexico, and up to about forty degrees 
north latitude it forms the dividing line between the Atlantic and Pa- 
cific versants. " * The Elk mountains, which lead from the Sawatch 
range in a southwest direction, possess an interesting geology as 
presenting a remarkable displacement of strata and the resultant 
manifest chaotic state. The Front range, which abounds in con- 
secutions of elevations, abut on the region of the plains and present 
a bold but broken outline. 

Approaching the eastern foot-hills of the Sierra Madre are ex- 
tensive outcropping of coal, the beds varying in thickness from 
thirty to fifty feet, this deposit being stated by geologists to under- 
lie a large portion of the plains, sometimes extending to the east- 
ern boundary of the territory, forming, with the coal beds of Wy- 
oming, a vast coal field. Iron is pretty generally diffused, and 
copper and zinc prevail in many of the mines. The richest gold 
fields prevail in Colorado, and silver is found in all the mining 
districts associated with the gold-bearing strata. 

The plains of Colorado embrace three-sevenths of the territory, 
or about 30,000,000 acres, of which at least one-sixth can be readily 
cultivated, while the rest is adapted to grazing. They rest upon 
calcareous rock and are principally of alluvial formation, having 
been washed from the vast granite mountains rising above their 
western limits, and contain elements of great fertility. Near the 
streams a large proportion of decomposed vegetable matter enters 

*Encyclopedia Britannica. 



730 THE WESTERN STATES. 

into its composition, united with sand and ashes ; on the plateaus 
there is less vegetable deposit, the soil being principally composed 
of sandy loam and friable clay. This section is exceedingly well 
adapted to agriculture. The vegetables of the state are very fine, 
and under the proper management attain a size and delicacy pecu- 
liarly their own. A most important resource of these plains is 
stock-raising, an industry which is proving to be a prolific source 
of wealth. 

The parks of Colorado are a distinctive feature of the moun- 
tainous country, presenting the aspect of basins of former lakes 
upheaved and deprived of their waters by volcanic violence, with 
their original situation and contour at the foot of high mountains 
undisturbed, while their lowest depths are from six to nine thousand 
feet above the level of the sea. The four most extensive ones are 
known respectively as the North, the Middle, the South and the 
San Luis ; the last by far being the finest of the four, with an area 
of nine thousand four hundred square miles, and described as an 
" immense elliptical bowl." 

The climate resembles that of the eastern states on the same 
parallels of latitude, except that the air is much drier and more 
rarified, and the atmospheric transitions are more moderate and 
gradual. For pulmonary complaints it indisputably exerts a recu- 
perative influence, and it is more than probable that it will become 
the great sanitarium for the variant divisions of the continent. 
The lamented Bayard Taylor, in speaking of it, wrote : "An air 
more delicious to breathe can not anywhere be found ; it is neither 
too sedative nor too exciting, but has that pure, sweet, flexible 
quality which seems to support all one's happiest and healthiest 
moods." 

Denver, the capital of this, the youngest of the states, has a 
position emphatically advantageous for easy trade and communica- 
tion. It is located on an open plain, a short distance from the 
Rockies, with a commanding view of the whole range from Long's 
Peak on the north to the famous Pike's Peak on the south, while 
north, south and east charmingly expand immeasurable areas of 
plains, impressive, delight-inspiring and grand. The city bubbles, 
sparkles and exuberates with elastic and mounting life, its trade and 



THE WESTERN STATES. 731 

business, at present, vivified and stimulated by the wild rush to its 
El Dorados of silver and gold. 

The first important settlements within the boundaries of this 
state were made in 1859, following the discovery of gold on Cherry 
creek, at the point where Denver now stands. The territorial or- 
ganization was authorized by act of Congress, approved March 2, 
1861, the portion lying east of the Rocky mountains having been 
taken principally from Kansas and Nebraska, that lying west from 
Utah, and one degree of latitude on the south from New Mexico. 
It was admitted into the Union as a state February 24, 1875. 



NEVADA. 



Nevada is situated south of the southern boundary of Idaho, 
and is third in size of the states comprising the American Union, 
extending from north to south 483 miles, and from east to west 
323 miles, with an area of 112,090 square miles, or 71,737,600 
acres. It was admitted to the Union March 21, 1864. 

A peculiar feature of the state is the remarkable uniformity 
with which mountain and valley succeed each other in nearly par- 
allel lines almost throughout its whole extent, the mountains being 
rocky and but sparsely covered with herbage or timber, and the 
valleys generally dry, sandy plains, interspersed with salt and 
alkali flats ; also intersected with beautiful, broad, shallow streams, 
bordering on which are wide belts of alluvial formation, covered 
by luxuriant herbage, varied with flourishing timber, the soil pos- 
sessing elements of considerable fertility. The timbers of the state 
consist of cottonwood, birch, dwarf-cedar, pine, spruce, fir, etc. Its 
principal rivers are Truckee, Humboldt, Walker, King's, Quin's, 
Colorado, Reese, etc.; its principal lakes are Pyramid, Walker, 
Carson, Humboldt, W'innemucca, Tahoe, etc. ; the water surface of 
the state being estimated at only 441 square miles. Its springs are 
mineral, thermal, boiling, etc., some of them having intense tem- 
peratures, the constituents of their waters being geological curiosi- 
ties. They present themselves at all elevations ; are deep, shallow, 
cold, hot, tepid; some quiescent, others ebullitional ; some pure, 
others impregnated; some insulated, others grouped; some placid 



732 THE WESTEKN STATES. 

and gentle, others puffing and snorting steam through choked, hiss- 
ing and gurgling throats. Some of the soils are rich, again there is 
no soil ; here is buffalo grass, there is scoria, alkali and desert sweeps; 
there are tulle swamps, there are rock crowns turbaned with snows; 
here are boulders, there is gold; here are calcined stones, there is 
silver; here are gulches, canons, fissures, ravines — nature torn, 
ploughed, shattered, convulsed, carrying the deep print of her mighty 
volcanic sorrow ; there are platinum, cinnabar, manganese, kaolin,, 
zinc, tin, galena, antimony, nickel, cobalt, arsenic. 

Her mineral wealth, while she possesses agricultural areas, 
nevertheless underlies, impels and employs her activities. Her sil- 
ver mines, thus far in the history of her settlement, have been the 
mainspring of her life. At the time of the discovery of these 
mines, in 1859, eleven years after its acquisition by the United 
States under the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, the most golden 
dream did not foreshadow their hidden treasures. The first dis- 
covery of the extraordinary silver deposits of this region occurred 
on the Comstock lode, from which vein bullion has been extracted 
amounting to several hundred million, the greatest yield per an- 
num amounting to $16,000,000. 

The lode is situated on the side of Mt. Davidson, at Virginia 
City, in a heavy belt, consisting mainly of metamorphic rocks. It 
has a general north and south course and an easterly dip, having 
been traced on the surface for more than 27,000 feet. 

Carson, the capital of the state, is in the Carson valley, and is 
connected by rail with Virginia City. The United States mint is 
located here, and near it is the state prison and the Carson warm 
springs. Its population in 1870 was 3,042. 

Virginia City, the largest city in the state, clings like a huge 
bat to the sides of Mount Davidson, which has an altitude of eight 
thousand feet above the sea. It is a remarkable city and is remark- 
ably built; dwellings on the mountain sides overlooking each other, 
steps and ladders often being required to gain access to them. 
Bonanza kings, beggars, millionaires, hoodlums, bankers, thieves, 
Englishmen, Indians, Portuguese, Jews, Jesuits, Celestials, Teutons, 
Celts, throng its streets and compose its motley population. " Here 
the world has seen, not one, but at least four, richer than Croesus ; 
with lamps, rings, slaves better than Aladdin's ; four bonanza 



THE WESTERN STATES. 733 

kings, each with a mountain of treasure greater to carry than the 
horrible 'Old Man of the Sea/ but which no modern Sinbad 
would shake off with delight. " Its population in 1870 was 7,008. 

Gold Hill, Hamilton, Reno, Austin, Washoe, Elko, etc., are 
other towns and cities of Nevada. 

Nevada was admitted to the Union March 21, 1864. James 
W. Nye was the first territorial governor, from 1861 to 1864, and 
H. G. Blaisdell the first state governor, from 1864 to 1871. 



OREGON. 



Oregon,* lying north of California, is 275 miles in extent, north 
and south, by 350 miles east and west, and includes an area of 
95,274 square miles, or 60,975,360 acres. Population in 1850, 
13,294; 1860, 52,465; 1870, 90,923. 

So far as climate and agricultural capacities are concerned, the 
state is composed of two distinct parts or sections, viz.: the eastern 
and western, lying respectively on the east and west side of the 
Cascade mountains, which extend from the southern to the northern 
boundary. 

The coast range of mountains, commencing at the Bay of San 
Francisco, extends northward through the states of California and 
Oregon. In this state they consist of a series of highlands run- 
ning at right angles with the coast, with valleys and rivers between, 
the numerous spurs having the same general direction as the high- 
lands. 

The western portion of the state, being the part first settled, 
comprises about thirty-one thousand square miles, or twenty million 
of acres, being nearly one-third of the area of the whole state, and 
embraces the great preponderance of wealth and population. The 

* As to the name " Oregon," it appears that it was used by Carver, in 1765, and 
applied to the Columbia river. He does not give his authority for the use of the 
name. Greenhow, in his History of Oregon and California, in referring to the 
name Oregon, says : "As to the name Oregon, or the authority for its use, the 
traveler [Carver] is silent; and nothing has been learned from any other source, 
though much labor has been expended in attempts to discover its meaning and deri- 
vation." The name Oregon was afterwards applied to the country drained by the 



734 



THE WESTERN STATES. 





whole surface nearly of this vast region is adapted to agriculture 
and pasturage, and all the productions common to temperate lati- 
tudes may be cultivated with success. 

The valleys of the Willamette, Umpqua and Rogue rivers are 
embraced within this portion of the state, and there is no region of 
country on the continent presenting a finer field for agriculture 
and stock raising, because of the mildness of the climate and depth 
and richness of the soil. 

The timber of Oregon is most valuable for ship-building, on 
account of its immense size and superior quality. The fir tree of 
Oregon attains to a great growth, frequently towering to the height 
of two hundred and fifty to three hundred feet, with trunk diame- 
ters ranging from four to fifteen feet. There are also found other 
and prominent forest trees, such as the Oregon cedar, yellow pine, 
sugar pine and fragrant white cedar. 

The mineral resources of the state, though not so thoroughly 
explored as those of the bordering states and territories, are both 
valuable and extensive, and will, no doubt, at some future time 
contribute largely to its sources of wealth. Numerous gold-bearing 
quartz lodes have been discovered in various parts of the state, 
and new developments are continually made. Vast deposits of 
iron ore prevail, and copper occurs in different localities. 

Its climate is salubrious, springs and streams are plentiful, and 
the country is not visited by the chilling winds and arid seasons 
which prevail further south. 

The Columbia, Willamette, Snake river and Clark Fork are 
the four chief navigable rivers. The Columbia, one of the largest 
and most important rivers on the continent, passes through the 
wildest and grandest scenery perhaps in the world. The fir-crowned 
mountains of the Cascade range on either side, with massive rocks 
thousands of feet high rising from its surface, with Mount Hood, 
St. Helen's and Rainer, from ten to thirteen thousand feet high, in 
the distance, piercing the clouds with their snow-capped peaks, 
form a scene of unsurpassed magnificence and grandeur. 

Though by no means deficient in mineral wealth, Oregon is pe- 
culiarly a crop-growing state. Enjoying a healthy and invigora- 
ting climate, characterized by vast areas of rich, fertile lands, 
densely timbered throughout its mountain ranges, watered by 



THE WESTEEN STATES. 735 

unfailing springs and streams, and subject to none of the drawbacks 
arising from the chilling winds and seasons of aridity which pre- 
vail further south, it is justly regarded as the most favorable region 
of the Pacific slope, as a home for an agricultural and manufac- 
turing population. 

Salem, the capital of the state is situated on the east bank of 
the Willamette, about forty miles south of Portland by the mean- 
dering of the river. It is located in the midst of beautiful scenery, 
is well built, contains some fine private and public buildings, a 
number of extensive manufactories, and is a growing city. Popu- 
lation in 1870, 2,842. 

Portland, the leading commercial city of Oregon, is situated 
on the west bank, and at the head of ship navigation, of Willa- 
mettie river, twelve miles from its mouth and one hundred miles 
from the ocean by the course of the Columbia. It is the largest 
city in the state, its population in 1870 being 8,293. Samuel 
Bowles said of it : " Ships and ocean steamers of the highest class 
come readily hither. From it spreads out a wide navigation of the 
Columbia and its branches, below and above. Here centers a large 
and increasing trade, not only for the Willamette valley, but for 
the mining regions of eastern Oregon and Idaho, Washington ter- 
ritory on the north, and parts even of British Columbia beyond." 

The sovereignity over the territory of Oregon was long a mat- 
ter of dispute and controversy between Great Britain and the 
United States. After 1818 it was held in joint occupancy, being, 
however, anomalously situated and not exactly under the jurisdic- 
tion of either. As early as the sixteenth century the Spaniards 
discovered the coast of this region, but Captain Gray, of Boston, dis- 
covering the Columbia river in 1792, furnished the United States a 
claim to sovereignity. The claim of the British was based upon oc- 
cupation as well as discovery. In 1804-5-6 Lewis and Clarke ex- 
plored the country from the mouth of the Missouri to the mouth 
of the Columbia, and spent the winter of 1805-6 on the Pacific. 
In 1808 the first trading house established on the waters of the 
Columbia was erected by the Missouri Fur Company. In 1811 
the American Fur Company, at the head of which was the late 
John J. Astor, of New York, was founded, and during the follow- 
ing year Fort Astoria was built at the mouth of the Columbia. 






736 THE WESTERN STATES. 

This fort was once captured by the English, but was soon delivered 
to its original owners. Disputes regarding the sovereignity of 
the country were renewed in 1845, and in 1846 a treaty between 
England and the United States adjusted the line of division be- 
tween the territories of the two nations. It was organized as a 
territory August 14, 1848. A state constitution was adopted No- 
vember 5, 1857, and February 14, 1859, the state was admitted to 
the Union by act of Congress under the constitution previously 
ratified. James Shields was the first territorial governor, 1848, 
and John Whittaker the first state governor, from 1859 to 1862. 
Oregon, the original name of the Columbia river, was named after 
it, and means " River of the West." 



CALIFORNIA. 

California* embraces the nine degrees of latitude which, on the 
Atlantic coast, would extend from Plymouth, Massachusetts, to 
Charleston, South Carolina. It possesses an extreme length of 700 
miles, with an average width of over 200 miles, including an anea 
of 188,981 square miles, or 120,947,840 acres. Population in 1850, 
92,597; 1860, 379,994; 1870, 560,247. 

The surface of California is extremely diversified and irregular, 
a considerable portion of it being traversed with hills and moun- 
tains. " These mountains, which comprise the predominating 
geographical and topographical features, for the convenience of 

* I could wish to gratify the reader with the etymology and true origin of a 
name which, from the oddness of its sound, the real misfortunes which the first dis- 
coverers met with in that country, and the great riches it is supposed to contain, has 
greatly excited the curiosity of the inhabitants both of New Spain and Europe. 
But in none of the various dialects of the natives could the missionaries find the 
least trace of such a name being given either to the country, or even to any harbor, 
bay or small portion of it. Nor can I subscribe to the etymology of some writers 
who suppose this name to have been given to it by the Spaniards, on their feeling 
an unusual heat at their first landing here, and thence called the country California, 
a compound of the two Latin words, calidafornaz, a hot furnace. * * * I am, 
therefore, inclined to think that this name owed its origin to some accident ; possi- 
bly to some words spoken by the Indians and misunderstood by the Spaniards." 
["A Natural and Civil History of California;" translated from the original Spanish 
of Miguel Venegas, a Mexican Jesuit, published at Madrid, 1758. Translation 
printed at London, 1795. 2 vols.] 



THE WESTERN STATES. 737 

description may be classed under two grand divisions: the Sierra 
Nevada ranges, which traverse the state along its eastern border, 
and the Coast range, which, as its name implies, extends along its 
western border near the sea coast. These divisions, uniting on the 
south, near Fort Tejon, latitude thirty-five degrees, and on the 
north, near Shasta City, latitude forty degrees thirty-five minutes, 
enclose the valleys of the Sacramento and San Joaquin, which are 
nearly three hundred and fifty miles in length and from forty to 
eighty miles wide at the points of their greatest divergence. Each 
of these divisions embraces many separate groups of mountain 
chains of vast extent, differing in geological relations and mineral 
composition, presenting in many places scenes of rare beauty or 
rugged wildness not surpassed by any mountains in the world ; for 
here the mighty forces of the volcano and earthquake, of the crush- 
ing, slow-moving, ponderous glacier and the swift-destroying flood 
have each left evidence of their power."* 

The highest peak of the Sierra Nevada is Mount Whitney, 
fifteen thousand feet; that of the Coast range, Mount San Bernar- 
dino, eight thousand five hundred feet. In the northern region of 
the state there is a union of these ranges, at the head of the Sacra- 
mento valley, which is here literally shut up by Mount Shasta, 
which towers to the altitude of 14,440 feet. 

The principal valleys of the state are the Sacramento, San Joa- 
quin, Santa Clara, San Gabriel, Los Angeles, Salinas, Amador, 
Sonoma, Napa, Pajaro, Petaluma, Kussian river, Clear Lake, San 
Ramon, Humboldt Bay, etc. 

Its principal harbors are the San Francisco, San Diego and 
Santa Cruz. Its chief bays, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, Half 
Moon, Drake's, Tomales, Bodega, Humboldt, Trinidad, Santa Bar- 
bara Channel, etc. 

The principal coast islands are the Farrallones, seven in num- 
ber, about twenty miles west from the Golden Gate ; in a south- 
ern direction, and west of Santa Barbara, are other groups. 

The principal rivers of the state are the Sacramento, San Joa- 
quin, Feather, American, Suisun, Napa, Sonoma, Petaluma, Salinas, 

* The Natural Wealth of California, by T. F. Cronise. 

47 



738 THE WESTERN STATES. 

Kussian, Mad, Merced, Eel, Smith and Klamath; the Salinas, 
in Monterey county, being the only one in the entire coast range 
connecting with the Pacific that is navigable. The finest salmon, 
trout, and other fish are found in these streams. 

Its principal cataract is the Yosemite Fall, in the valley of the 
same name, where the waters of the Merced have a sheer descent 
of two thousand five hundred and fifty feet, the Pohono, or " Bridal 
Veil," falling one thousand feet. The principal curiosity of the 
state consists of the Geysers, a series of hot springs of varied 
composition, and a most singular exhibition of subterranean chem- 
istry. They are situated in Pluton canon, Sonoma county, in which 
there are over three hundred springs and jets of steam. 

Its principal cities are San Francisco, Sacramento, Oakland, 
Stockton, San Jose, Los Angeles, Marysville, San Diego, Placer- 
ville and Benicia, the former state capital, etc. 

The climate of California, though exceedingly varied, is not 
subject to the quick transitions of temperature incident to the Atlan- 
tic states. Snow is seldom seen along the coast and in the great 
valleys of the state, while the heat of summer is tempered by cool 
winds which blow almost incessantly from May to September. The 
maturity of fruits in this climate is almost phenomenal, attaining 
the most remarkable perfection. The northern and central counties 
produce all the grains and fruits of the temperate zone, while in the 
south latitudes the temperature is semi-tropical. With the vege- 
tation of the north, side by side, may be seen flourishing the lemon, 
orange, olive, pomegranate, citron, almond, prune, pine-apple, co- 
coa-nut and banana. The culture of the vine is a growing and 
profitable industry, its rich clusters " drinking the splendor of the 
sun" and supplying juices sweet as those of the Garonne or Rhine. 
Wheat, barley and oats find a generous and responsive soil and cli- 
mate, large quantities being raised for exportation. Hop industries 
have been introduced, with general success, both on the uplands 
and bottoms, and the raising of the silk-worm and the manufacture 
of silk promise remunerative results, the state having lent encour- 
agement to the planting and culture of the moses multicolis and 
the raising of cocoons. 

The state is abundantly supplied with timber of the finest qual- 
ity. Immense forests of pine, fir and cedar spread over the moun- 



THE WESTERN STATES. 739 

tains of the coast, and great varieties of deciduous trees grow upon 
the margins of the streams. Groves of the magnificent sequoia 
gigantea are found in Tuolumne, Calaveras, Tulare and Mariposa 
counties, transcending in magnitude the mightiest denizens of the 
forests of the world. 

The arable lands of the state are estimated at over 40,000,000 
acres, or one-third of its area ; those adapted to pasturage being 
nearly as much more, while vast additional surfaces are made fertile 
by irrigation, or protection against submergence, according to cir- 
cumstances and localities. 

While its geological structure may be said to be comparatively 
simple, yet invested with wonderful interest, as it is, in the sense 
of its manifest geological disturbances, its metalliferous wealth is 
the pre-eminently distinguishing feature of California. From 1848, 
when the discovery of the precious metal was made, by the finding 
of gold by a Mr. Marshall, one of the Sutter Company,* in a mill 
excavation on the South Fork of the American river, at a point 
now known as Coloma, hundreds of thousands of people have 
flocked thither impelled by the " dread omnipotence of gold," a 
majority to be ruined, and others to achieve fabled fortunes, while 
more than a billion of dollars of the precious metal has been ex- 
tracted. It is estimated that in the year 1849 one hundred thou- 
sand men rushed to the gold fields of the state. 

"^General John A. Sutter was of Swiss parentage, but a native of Germany. 
He was a captain in the grand army of France, and mingled with the elite of 
French society during the reign of Charles X. He arrived at New York in 1834, 
went west, and soon found himself in New Mexico, where he heard of the wonders 
of California ; proceeded to the Rocky mountains, joined a company of trappers bent 
for the shores of the Pacific, crossed the continent and landed at Fort Van Couver; 
found no land passage to California, went to the Sandwich Islands hoping to get 
passage from there ; took a vessel that was bound for Sitka, but which, by accident, 
drew into San Francisco harbor in distress. He finally reached the site of Sacra- 
mento, built Sutter Fort, called it New Helvetia, in memory of the Swiss home of 
his ancestors ; began the cultivation of his lands, extending for miles, rearing of 
herds, "until — to him fatal day — one of his workmen found a few grains of gold in 
the soil, when, as if by magic, the whole scene changed, and from a veritable Utopia, 
the beautiful valley of the Sacramento became a pandemonium." His discovery 
enriched the world but ruined him, and in his old age he had no means of support 
save a donation from the state. He landed at Yerba Buena (San Francisco) July 
2, 1839, his party consisting of ten Americans and Europeans and eight Sandwich 
Islanders. 



740 THE WESTERN STATES. 

But the metalliferous deposits of California are by no means 
confined to gold, for argentiferous or silver lodes and copper pre- 
vail abundantly in many localities. Cinnabar, tin, zinc, lead and 
iron ores are found, and marble, granite and freestone are plenti- 
fully distributed. Concerning the coal of California, Whitney 
says : " Coal of the true carboniferous period does not occur any- 
where on the North American continent west of the eastern base 
of the Cordilleras ; but there are, at various points, extensive de- 
posits of lignite and imperfect coal ; in some of these the woody 
structure is entirely obliterated, and the substance may, with pro- 
priety, be called coal." 

The Fauna and Flora of the state are alike immeasurably inter- 
esting to the botanist and naturalist. 

Sacramento, the political capital of the state, and a city of 
beautiful homes, is situated at the head of ship navigation on the 
river of its name, one hundred and twenty miles from San Fran- 
cisco. It is a depot of supplies for mining. A number of railroads 
center here, and it is in daily steam communication with San Fran- 
cisco and the upper Sacramento country. Its new state-house is 
one of the most splendid structures on the coast. It is celebrated 
for its agricultural pavilion, its annual fairs, its grand race-course, 
and the metal and blood of its posting steeds. Sacramento is the 
product of the wild buzz of '49, and in 1870 had a population of 
16,484. 

San Francisco, the commercial metropolis of the state, is situ- 
ated on the western side of the beautiful bay bearing its name. A 
splendid city of 200,000 people, with magical and fabulous rapidity, 
has sprung into existence on the very site where, thirty years ago, 
prevailed a desert of sand and clay-hills, intersected and bisected 
by ravines. The bay and coast upon which she sits — a very sea- 
queen waving golden banners — are thronged by vessels from all 
the lands, while lines of steamers fly from her ports to the islands 
of the Pacific ocean and the great maritime cities of China and 
Japan. Long streets of warehouses, stores and elegant residences, 
large hotels, numerous churches, and school-houses and public 
buildings now cover the ground which was so recently a barren 
waste. The trade with the northern and southern coasts centers 
here; the great valleys of California pour in their produce of 



THE WESTERN STATES. 741 

mining and agriculture, and Nevada adds her streams of silver and 
gold. With these immense commercial facilities, the future of San 
Francisco is an assuring one of an unlimited and expansive pros- 
perity. 

Montgomery street, the Broadway of the city, is a splendid 
thoroughfare, and presents an attractive scene of enterprise and 
activity. The city abounds in handsome and costly churches, and 
elegant and massive public edifices, worthy of its golden fame. Its 
cemeteries — those of Lone Mountain and Calvary — are note- 
worthy; that of the former being particularly beautiful; while the 
old mission, in proximity to the city, built in 1776, an old adobe 
structure, in Spanish style, is full of mouldy memories. Amission 
and presidio (place of defense) were established here by the Span- 
iards in the foregoing year, who, it is claimed, first occupied the site 
of San Francisco, naming it " Yerba Buena." It was chartered as 
a city in 1850, and in 1870 had a population of 149,473. 

Oakland, across the bay from San Francisco, with which it has 
communication by ferries, though a city of over twenty thousand, 
is thoroughly rural. Here the state university is located. It is a 
beautiful retreat, the houses usually being detached and standing 
amid gardens and grass-plats, while on either hand geraniums, 
roses, fuchsias, callas, verbenas and tropical plants and flowers flour- 
ish out doors without danger of winter exposure. 

"As at first used, the name of California was applied to the 
coast and the territory at a little distance from it, north of Mexico ; 
gradually it was extended over what we now call the ' Great Basin/ 
and with no well defined limits to the north. At the present time 
the name California means only the state of California, one of the 
United States of America, and the peninsula is called Lower Cali- 
fornia. To the Spanish Americans these natural divisions of the 
country were and still are known as Upper and Lower California 
(Alta and Baga California), and the two were called 'Las Califor- 
nias' — the Californias." * 

The coast of Lower California was discovered in 1534, by 
Bezerra de Mendoza and Hernando de Grijalva. Alarcon, com- 
manding an exploring fleet, reconnoitered the mouth of the Colo- 

*J. D. Whitney, in Encyclopedia Britannica. 



742 THE WESTERN STATES. 

rado river, and in 1542 the coast of California proper was visited 
by Cabrillo, who went as far north as latitude forty-four degrees. 
Sir Francis Drake, 1578, explored the shores of the Pacific, but 
whether he discovered the bay and harbor is a matter of conjecture. 
Lower California was entered by Jesuit missionaries as early as 
1697, where, for seventy years, they remained, when, by an order 
of Charles III. of Spain, they were banished from the country, and 
all their property transferred to the Franciscan monks. 

"Later," says Whitney, "the Dominicans obtained exclusive 
possession of the Peninsula, and the Franciscans, not unwillingly, 
withdrew to Upper California, where they established themselves, 
built numerous missions and throve remarkably, until Mexico 
became independent of Spain, in 1822. This event was a death- 
blow to the establishments of the Franciscans, which, from that 
time forward, lost ground from year to year, and finally were broken 
up altogether in 1840." 

The policy of the Catholic priests, prior to this, had been to 
discourage emigration and consolidate the prosperity and power of 
their flourishing missions. For many years, however, the relations 
between Spain and Mexico were of a very loose character, and an 
English and American element insinuated itself into California, as 
early as 1810, which grew in numbers until 1830. The capture of 
Monterey by Commodore Sloat, of the United States navy, July 
7, 1846, was most opportune, for within twenty-four hours there- 
after the English admiral, Sir George Seymour, arrived to take 
possession of the country in the name of the British government. 
France was also contemplating it with a jealous eye. 

California then being a Mexican province, as a result of the 
overthrow of the Spanish authority in 1822, Mexico resisted the 
encroachments upon her domain. Collisions broke out between 
the American settlers and the Mexican authorities, in 1846, but 
under the leadership of General Fremont the Americans soon be- 
came masters of the situation, and asserted freedom from Mexican 
domination. The end was the cession of the territory of Califor- 
nia to the American government for fifteen million dollars. A 
convention, which met at Monterey in September, 1849, by order 
of General Riley, the military governor of the territory, adopted 



THE WESTEKN STATES. 743 

a constitution, which was popularly ratified, and California was 
admitted to the Union as a state, September 9, 1850. 

Gasper de Portala was the first governor of California under 
Spanish rule, from 1767 to 1771 ; Pablo Vicente de Sola the first 
governor under Mexican rule, from 1822 to 1823; and Peter H. 
Burnett first governor under the jurisdiction of the United States, 
from 1849 to 1851. 



PAET XV. 

THE TEKKITOEIES. 

Utah. — This territory is situated south of Idaho and Wyoming, 
north of Arizona, east of Nevada and west of Colorado, and in- 
cludes an area of 84,476 square miles, or 54,065,075 acres. It is 
divided by the Wahsatch range of mountains, extending across its 
limits from northeast to southwest, into two unequal parts, belong- 
ing to different water-sheds or systems. 

In common with the water system of Nevada, the section west of 
the Wahsatch range contains no outlet to the ocean for its numerous 
streams or lakes of salt and fresh water. Its most important 
mineral deposits consist of gold, silver, iron, copper, zinc, lead, 
coal, salt, sulphur, saleratus, alum and borax. Iron is found in 
deposits of red hematite ore, and is abundant. Beds of coal pre- 
vail in different localities, and rock-salt is abundant. 

Its timber lands are comprised in about two million acres of 
pine and fir, on the slopes of the mountains, and in the bottoms 
birch, spruce, cottonwood, ash, box-elder, etc. Its most important 
industries are agriculture and horticulture, accompanied with irri- 
gation, the facilities for which have been greatly perfected. Wheat, 
barley, oats, rye, buckwheat, flax, hemp, potatoes, peaches, garden 
vegetables, etc., flourish in luxuriant profusion. 

Utah has a beautiful river system, and abounds in a variety of 
lakes, prominent among which is the great Salt lake, situated in 
the northwestern part of the territory, extending nearly one hun- 
dred miles, from northwest to southeast, with a width of fifty miles, 
its waters constituting the strongest natural solution of mineral 
substances in the world, containing twenty -five percent, of common 
salt, which forms a brine so dense and mordant that no fish can 
exist therein, while living bodies float upon its surface like corks. 

(744) 



THE TEKRITORIES 745 

Salt Lake City, fifteen miles south of the great Salt lake, is the 
capital, and has an altitude of nearly four thousand four hundred 
feet above sea level. It is the nucleus of the church of the Mor- 
mons, or " Latter Day Saints," and contains the odd but spacious 
edifice known as the "tabernacle," which resembles an inverted 
platter, and has seating capacity for ten thousand people. It is 
the vast gendering, incubating nest of polygamy, the harem of 
Brigham, the dead " prophet, priest and king." The history of 
the territory is identified with the advent of the prophet in the 
great valley in 1847. 

Utah primarily composed a part of California, and was included 
in the Mexican cession of 1848. It was organized under act of 
congress, approved September 9, 1850, its limits, as defined in the 
act of organization, having been since reduced by the act of March 
2, 1861, creating the territory of Nevada; the acts of July 14, 1862, 
and May 5, 1866, increasing the area of Nevada, and the act of 
July 25, 1868, organizing Wyoming territory. In 1870 it had a 
population of 86 f 786. 

Arizona. — This territory, set apart from New Mexico by act of 
Congress of February 24, 1863, has for its northern boundary the 
state of Nevada and the territory of Utah ; on the east it is bounded 
by New Mexico; on the south by the Mexican state of Sonora, and 
on the west by the states of California and Nevada. 

Within these limits is embraced an area of 113,916 square 
miles, or 72,906,240 acres. Its principal mountain ranges are the 
Pinaleno and Santa Anna Catarina in the southeastern part, the 
Sierra del Carizzo and San Francisco in the northern part, the 
Mogollon mountains in the eastern, and the Castle Dome mountains 
in the extreme southwestern corner of the territory, between the 
Colorado and Gila rivers. 

The principal rivers are the Colorado, Gila, Rio Santa Cruz, 
Bill William's Fork, Little Colorado, Rio Puerco and Rio Verde. 
The climate is delightful throughout the year with the exception 
of the country in the vicinity of the Lower Colorado. Arizona 
abounds in mineral wealth, such as gold, quick-silver, platinum, 
silver, copper, iron, lead, tin, niokel, cinnabar. Its valleys are fer- 



746- THE TERRITORIES. 

tile. Among its forest growths are found oak, pine, ash and Cot- 
tonwood. 

Prescott, the present capital, is the center of an important min- 
ing region. It was organized as a territory February 24, 1863. 

Alaska. — The United States territory on the north Pacific, or 
the Russian purchase known as Alaska, has an area of 577,399 
square miles. It was purchased from the Czar of Russia, in 1867, 
for $7,200,000, and the laws of the United States obtained jurisdic- 
tion of it by act of Congress approved July 27, 1868. 

It is distinguished for its fisheries, which are said to be the fin- 
est in the world, and, under the Russian occupation, this and the 
fur monopolies virtually controlled the country. In the production 
of valuable furs it is presumed that this region is not excelled, 
their collection and exportation having been a source of wealth 
and an attractive industry. It is in this manner, by hunting, trap- 
ping and fishing, that the inhabitants, especially those of the interior, 
manage to live. 

It is said to have deposits of gold and beds of anthracite and 
bituminous coal on some of its islands, and near the sea-coast on the 
mainland. Fossil ivory has also been found. Its forests consist of 
cedar, hemlock, pine, fir, spruce, etc. The natives of this territory 
are divided into twenty-four tribal organizations, with distinctive 
modes of life and forms of government, inducing the presumption 
of separate nationalities. Some of these tribes are peaceful, others 
warlike. The population was estimated in 1870 at 75,000, of which 
50,000 or 60,000 were supposed to belong to the various indige- 
nous races. The size of this vast territorial acquisition may be rela- 
tively imagined when it is understood to possess an area more than 
fourteen times as large as Ohio. 

Sitka is the capital, situated on the Island of Sitka, and on 
which a majority of the Russians- proper reside. 

Dakota. — On the north of this territory are the British posses- 
sions, on the east Minnesota and Iowa, on the south Nebraska, and 
on the west Montana and Wyoming. It possesses an area of 
150,932 square miles, or 96,595,840 acres. 

The territory of Dakota presents great diversity of physical 



THE TERRITORIES. 747 

configuration, the country rising gently to the westward and cul- 
minating in the Black hills in its western part. In the southeastern 
portion is a range of highlands extending along the eastern margin 
of the territory, while corresponding, though smaller tables occupy 
the northern and middle parts. 

Its chief rivers are the Missouri, traversing it from northwest 
to southeast, with its many tributaries; the Big Sioux, Vermillion, 
Dakota, White Earth, Big Cheyenne and Little Missouri. The 
Red river flows along one-half of the eastern boundary of the ter- 
ritory, and empties into Lake Winnipeg, in British America. 

The climate in the southern section is comparatively mild, but 
in the northern the winters are protracted and hard. The climate 
and soil conduce to the growth of wheat, corn and other cereals, as 
well as vegetables and fruits. 

Gold, silver, copper and coal have been discovered in the Black 
hills and Big Sioux country, and salt-beds and fine building stone 
prevail. 

The territory was organized March 2, 1861, and in 1870 had a 
population of 14,181 ; Yankton, on the Missouri, being the capital. 

Idaho. — Lying east of Oregon and Washington territory, is the 
territory of Idaho. It extends from the international boundary 
between the United States and British America, southward, four 
hundred and ten miles, to Nevada and Utah, with a width of forty 
miles on its northern boundary, gradually expanding in the south- 
ern extension of the territory to over two hundred and fifty miles, 
its eastern boundary being the diagonal range of the Bitter Root 
and Rocky mountains, extending from northeast to southwest, 
separating it from Montana and Wyoming. In its superficies are 
included 86.294 square miles, or 55,228,160 acres. It was origin- 
ally included in the territory of Oregon, as organized by act of 
August 14, 1848. The section lying north of the forty-sixth par- 
allel was afterward made part of Washington territory, as organized 
by act of March 2, 1853, and subsequently the portion south of 
that parallel was added to the latter territory by act of February 
14, 1859, admitting Oregon into the American Union. The terri- 
tory of Idaho, as originally organized under the act of March 3, 
1863, included, besides its present area, the region of country now 



748 



THE TEEKITOKIES. 







constituting the territories of Montana and Wyoming ; it having 
been reduced by act of May 26, 1864, organizing Montana, and 
attaching the remainder of the country east of the Rocky moun- 
tains and of the thirty-third degree of longitude to Dakota, and 
still further by act of July 28, 1868, organizing Wyoming. It 
lies in the basin of the Columbia river. 

Its largest and best situated valleys are those of the Clearwater, 
Solomon, Fayette, Wood, Weiser, St. Joseph and Cceur d' Alene, 
which are well watered, fertile, and, with irrigation, produce wheat, 
oats, rye, barley, fruits and vegetables. Its climate varies ac- 
cording to the latitudes through which its limits extend. 

The first discovery of gold was made in 1852. Silver, iron 
ore, coal, and vast beds of salt almost chemically pure, prevail. 
Its mountains reach lofty altitudes, towering above the snow-line, 
and on its plateaus grow indigenous grasses in abundance. Snake 
river, or Lewis's Fork of the Columbia, is its principal river, and 
has many affluents. 

It was organized as a territory May 26, 1864, and in 1870 had 
a population of 15,000. Boise City, on the Boise river, is the 
capital. 



Indian Territory. — The extensive reservation known by the 
foregoing name, set apart by Congress for the permanent residence 
of Indian tribes transported from the settled states, lies south of 
Kansas, east of Texas and New Mexico, north of Texas and west 
of Missouri and Arkansas. It includes 68,991 square miles, or 
44,154,240 acres. 

The transported tribes consist chiefly of Choctaws, Cherokees, 
Creeks, Seminoles and Chickasaws, and were removed hither from 
the southern states, viz. : Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, 
Tennessee and North Carolina. 

They are permitted to live under laws, enactments and regula- 
tions of their own, and some of the tribes have accumulated great 
wealth, made commendable progress in civilization and education, 
and in numerous instances have been found supplying students for 
our eastern colleges and universities. These have written constitu- 
tions and laws, legislative, executive and judicial officers; schools, 



THE TERRITORIES. 749 

churches, and other appliances of progressive societies. To each 
tribe is assigned its own particular boundary. 

A portion of the territory is, however, subject to the control 
and disposition of the government of the United States for the ben- 
efit and location of other tribes. Some of the finest agricultural 
areas of the continent are here embraced. 

In 1870 a council of the tribes framed a constitution similar to 
that of the United States, but limiting its privileges only to them- 
selves. The judicatory arm of the government extends to the 
territory, but with explicitly prescribed powers. Nevertheless, 
imperium in imperio is here pretty clearly illustrated. 

The territory, though productive in districts, is mountainous in 
some parts, and in others desert-like and barren. It is drained by 
the Red and Arkansas rivers. 

New Mexico. — A former territorial appendage of the Republic 
of Mexico. It was ceded by the terms of the treaty of Guadalupe 
Hidalgo to the United States. It lies south of the state of Colo- 
rado, west of the state of Texas, north of Mexico and Texas, and 
east of Arizona. It embraces an area of 121,201 square miles, or 
77,568,640 acres. 

This territory is traversed by many mountain chains, between 
which are found many beautiful and fertile valleys. Forests of 
pine, cedar, spruce, and other kindred trees grow upon these 
ranges, while at their bases are found tracts of cedar and pinon, the 
margins of the streams growing sycamore and cotton wood. In 
the remote south groves of oak and walnut prevail. 

Veins of the precious metals, rich deposits of copper, iron and 
coal have been discovered in various localities of the territory. In 
the valleys wheat, Indian corn, barley, oats, apples, peaches, apricots, 
and grapes are produced in great perfection. The table-lands, hill- 
slopes and valleys are abundantly supplied with nutritious grasses. 
They are specially suited to grazing, and it is asserted that the 
horses of New Mexico are noted for their powers of endurance, 
and that the beef and mutton are celebrated for their quality. The 
sky is usually clear, the atmosphere dry, the climate salubrious, 
but marked by considerable variability. Its principal river is the 
Rio Grande del Norte, which traverses an extensive valley, and is 






750 THE TERRITORIES. 

a desirable and inhabitable portion of the territory. Many of its 
areas are sterile and profitless. The cougar, wild hog, ocelot, lynx, 
wolf, coyote, brown, black and grizzly bear are here found, as well 
as the lizard and scorpion. 

Santa Fe is the capital, on the river of its name, about twenty 
miles from the junction with the Rio Grande. New Mexico was 
organized as a territory September 9, 1850, and in 1870 had a pop- 
ulation of 91,874. 

Montana. — This territory consists of a series of basins, five in 
number, four of which lie on the east side of the Rocky moun- 
tains, and one on the west. It embraces an area of 143,776 square 
miles, or 92,016,640 acres. 

Veins of gold, copper, lead and iron are found distributed 
throughout the mountainous parts. Silver and copper ores occur, 
and clays and sandstones are also met, superimposed and underly- 
ing coal beds in those localities where the coal peculiarities of the 
surface have proven favorable to sedimentary and drift formations. 

The surface features of the territory are of a mountainous order, 
the Rocky range traversing its entire area. The principal rivers 
are the Missouri, the Yellowstone and Clark's Fork of the Colum- 
bia river. It possesses many fertile areas, is a fine stock country, 
in which all the cereals flourish. Native fruits prevail in great 
profusion, and root crops, such as potatoes, ruta-bagas, turnips, 
carrots, etc., have a rich growth. Timber is plentiful, consisting 
of poplar, cedar, balsam, and different varieties of pine and fir. 
Hot, mineral and pure water springs, and lakes, and cascades and 
water-falls are of common occurrence. The bison, grizzly, ante- 
lope, Rocky mountain sheep, wander over its vast domain. 

The territory was organized May 26, 1864, out of the eastern 
part of Idaho. Virginia City is its capital. Population in 1870, 
20,595. 

Washington. — This, the most distant northwestern territory of 
the United States, before the addition of " the ice and blue sky r 
known as Alaska," has the British possessions on the north, the 
Columbia river' and Oregon on the south, the territory of Idaho 






THE TERRITORIES. 751 

on the east, with the Pacific ocean on the west, and embraces an 
area of 69,994 square miles, or 44,796,160 acres. 

A preponderance of the surface of this territory is rugged and 
mountainous. Its principal river is the Columbia, which traverses 
the entire breadth of the territory from north to south, and then 
shaping a large part of its southern border, forms a main artery for 
travel and transportation of grain and produce from the great in- 
terior to the ocean. Its forests include the red and yellow pine, of 
Titanic dimensions, often attaining a height of three hundred feet, 
and from nine to twelve feet in diameter. 

The soil in the river bottoms is well timbered with maple, 
ash, balm and willow, yet yields fine crops; the highlands are 
usually rolling and suited to cultivation. The climate does not 
materially differ from that of Oregon, and in its eastern portion 
assimilates that of Pennsylvania. 

Gold has been found, and coal of excellent quality prevails in 
the territory. Its rivers are renowned for their grand fisheries, 
notably so the Columbia, for its wealth of salmon, though mackerel, 
cod, herring, halibut, flounder, etc., pervade the principal streams. 
The elk, bear, deer, otter, etc., are found here. 

It was organized as a territory November 2, 1853, and in 1870 
had an estimated population of 23,955. Olympia is the capital. 

Wyoming.— This territory has Dakota and Nebraska on the east, 
Colorado and Utah on the south, Montana on the north, and Utah 
and Idaho on the west. It contains an area of 97,883 square miles, 
or 62,645,120 acres. 

Wyoming is penetrated by the Rocky mountains, which project 
from northwest to southeast athwart its western portion, though 
other sections of the territory are cumbered by minor ranges. The 
southeastern part is watered by the North Fork of the Platte and 
its tributaries; the northeastern by the North and South Forks of 
the Big Cheyenne, that flows to the Missouri. The northwest is 
watered by the Big Horn and Yellowstone rivers, and the south- 
west is drained by the Green river and its affluents. 

Gold, silver, mines of copper, lead and gypsum prevail in the 
territory. The Laramie plains are an extensive high plateau in 
the southern part of the territory west of the Black hills, extend- 



752 THE TERRITORIES. 

ing westward to the Wahsatch mountains. These vast plains 
embrace an area of thirty thousand square miles, underlaid with 
lignite or brown coal of the tertiary age, the deposits averaging 
from a few inches to fifteen feet in thickness. The most eastern 
limit of this coal basin west of the Laramie range is ten miles west 
of Rock creek, a branch of Medicine Bow river, and outcroppings 
occur as far west as Salt lake, showing a connected series of de- 
posits to cover the entire area. And in proximity to these coal 
beds are large deposits of nodular iron ore, while in the mountains 
environing the Laramie plains deposits of iron ore of great thick- 
ness prevail. The entire territory is characterized by mineral 
springs — saline, chalybeate, sulphurous and alkaline being the 
most prevalent — many of them possessing sanitary properties. 

The forest vegetation is composed chiefly of pine, spruce and 
hemlock. The valley districts and the regions skirting the moun- 
tains are quite available for cultivation. The Laramie plains, 
although largely elevated, are productive of an abundance of small 
grains and vegetation. 

Cheyenne, the capital of Wyoming and county-seat of Laramie 
county, once known as "Hell on Wheels," has the modern and 
more euphonious appellation of the "Magic City of the Plains." 
It has "lived to out-live" its fungoid and turgescent growth ; has 
elegant and substantial business houses, churches, school-houses, 
and a solid, earnest life. 

Wyoming was constituted from sections of Idaho, Dakota and 
Utah, and its territorial organization was consummated July 25, 
1866. Its population in 1870 was 20,595. 



PART xvr. 

TEKEITOEIAL EXPANSION. 

The American Revolution. — The thoughtful student of Ameri- 
can history can contemplate with supreme and majestic pride the 
marvelously rapid growth, development and territorial expansion 
of the great republic. From an area bearing only an approximate 
relation to its present geographical magnitude, it has widened into 
its vast ocean-bound dimensions. At the termination of the crucial 
struggle for national independence, the boundaries of the Republic 
were limited, on the east by the shores of the Atlantic, on the north 
by the Lakes, on the west by the Mississippi, and on the south by 
the great Gulf. Florida, which, however, was not ceded to the 
United States until 1819, it then being a province of Spain, as 
well as that portion of Louisiana to the eastward of the river Mis- 
sissippi, it will be remembered, must not be embodied in this gen- 
eral description, although valuable acquisitions of territory have 
been made to that domain. 

Vermont. — This state was the first admitted, under the consti- 
tution, and was claimed by New Hampshire, and counter-claimed 
by New York. The jurisdiction over her was finally delegated to 
New York by the crown, which led to violence between the set- 
tlers and the authorities, but which was finally adjusted, in 1791, 
when she joined the national confederation, and added another 
state to the original thirteen — the first accession. 

The Territory Northwest of the River Ohio. — In 1784 Virginia 
ceded her claim to the territory situated northwest of the river 
Ohio to the United States. Title having been secured, the pru- 
48 (753) 



754 TERRITOKIAL EXPANSION. 

dent consideration of Congress was directed toward preliminary 
measures, pointing to the permanent organization of civil govern- 
ment in the same, it now being within the legitimate province of 
legislation. July 13, 1787, that august body, after considerate 
investigation, deliberate thought and cautious inquiry into the sub- 
ject, combined with tedious, dispassionate and exhaustive analysis 
of the vital issues involved, proclaimed the outgrowth of their ma- 
tured action to the civilized world, in what they saw proper to 
denominate "An ordinance for the government of the territory of 
the United States northwest of the river Ohio," known as " the 
ordinance of '87." By the provisions of this instrument, there 
were to be formed not less than three nor more than five states, 
from this territory ; the result showing the erection of five states : 
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin. 

The Southwest Territory. — The areas south of the river of 
Ohio, included under the caption of the southwest territory, were 
never embraced under any distinct territorial government. From 
this section of the public domain the four states of Kentucky, Ten- 
nessee, Mississippi and Alabama were established. The State of 
Maine, whose history, until 1820, is merged in that of Massachu- 
setts, became a member of the Union on the 15th of March of this 
year. 

The Louisiana Purchase. — Under the administration of Presi- 
dent Jefferson, April 30, 1803, the immense province of Louisiana 
was purchased from France by the United States for a sum amount- 
ing to about fifteen million of dollars.* Independently of the 
state of Louisiana, there have been carved from this immense area 
the states of Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Kansas and 
Nebraska; and the following territories: the Indian, Colorado, 
Wyoming, Dakota, and Montana. 

Florida. — Florida, the scene of the adventures of Narvaez and 
the ambition of Ponce de Leon and De Soto, the victim of bloody 
wars, conquests and proprietorships, was ceded to the United States 
in 1819, two years thereafter the treaty being ratified by the king 
of Spain. 

*Vide page 553. 



CIVIL PROGKESS OF THE NATION. 755 

Oregon — The coast region of Oregon was discovered in the six- 
teenth century by the Spaniards, but the claim to the sovereignty 
of the country by the United States government is based upon dis- 
coveries made by Captain Gray in 1792. This vast region, ex- 
tending from latitude forty-two to fifty-four degrees, after sub- 
mitting to conflicting claims from England, Spain and the United 
States, finally succumbed to the latter, and became a portion of the 
territory of the nation in 1848. The territories of Idaho and Wash- 
ington were constructed from this region. 

Texas. — Texas, weary of Mexican domination, routed Santa 
Anna, her president leader, at San Jacinto, April 21, 1836, and, 
after a declaration of independence in this year, was annexed to 
the United States in 1845. 

California. — The occupation and conquest of California, a sim- 
ultaneous occurrence of the war with Mexico, resulted in a great 
enlargement of the national domain, securing territory from which 
has been created not simply the states of California and Nevada, 
but the expansive territories of Utah, Arizona and New Mexico. 

Alaska. — This, the last territorial acquisition to the country pos- 
sesses enormous proportions, being larger than twelve states of the 
size of New York, and ten times larger than the entire New Eng- 
land states combined. 

From the thirteen original states we have advanced to thirty- 
eight, with ten territorial appendages yet to be ranged under the 
banner of the Union, embracing an area of 1,535,814 square miles, 
or a sufficient territory out of which to construct forty-five states 
as large as Indiana. 

CIVIL PEOGKESS OF THE NATION. 

The Public Domain. — The public domain has reached, in its 
enlargement, an area equal to 2,867,185 square miles, or 1,834,- 
998,400 acres. From this landed interest Congress has made 
princely endowments for educational purposes ; common schools ; 
agricultural and mechanical colleges and universities; for military 
bounties in the war of the revolution, in the war of 1812 with 



756 CIVIL PKOGEESS OF THE NATION. 

England, of 1847 with Mexico, and Indian wars; in furtherance 
of internal improvements on a large scale, general and special ; in 
aid of the reclamation of swamps and overflowed lands; for the 
construction of canals; for wagon roads; for seats of government 
and public buildings; for deaf and dumb asylums; for individual 
Indian reservations; for the confirmation of millions of acres in 
satisfaction of foreign titles; for the construction of railways, in- 
cluding trans-continental lines. 

The government has watched and fostered the advancing set- 
tlers, securing them in their homes, first upon lands surveyed, 
offered and unoffered, then giving legal inception to settlements 
before surveys, and expanding the principle along railway conces- 
sions. The area of the United States, within the limits recognized 
and defined by the treaty of peace in 1783, embraced 824,248 
square miles, or 327,518,720 acres. Of this surface there was 
claimed by different states, under colonial charters, yet which was 
ceded by them for the common benefit, a surface, designated as 
public lands, equal to 354,000 square miles, or 226,560,000 acres, 
which constituted the nucleus of the national proprietorship. 

Population and Present Area of the United States — Within our 
limits, at the opening of the American revolution, we had only* 
2,389,300 persons of every description. Now we have a popula- 
tion of 40,000,000 of inhabitants, with nearly 2,000,000,000 of 
acres as national territory, with a geographical surface of the whole 
Union equal to nearly 4,000,000 of square miles, with the Atlantic 
and Pacific oceans as frontiers, the former the highway to European 
commerce, the latter giving us a dominating position for the con- 
trol of Asiatic trade, while we have as the boundary, in part, the 
great northern lakes of the continent, and on the south the Gulf 
of Mexico. Gibbon, in surveying the extent of the Roman em- 
pire at a period when it had reached the summit of its grandeur 
after a career of conquest and civilization for a thousand years, es- 
timated its surface at 1,600,000 square miles, and as embracing a 
population of 120,000,000. The United States already occupy an 
area equal to nearly 4,000,000 square miles, two and a half times 
greater than that ancient empire of civilization, and in thirty years, 

*Seybert\s statistics. 



CIVIL PROGKESS OF THE NATION 757 

according to existing ratios, will have 107,000,000 of inhabitants, 
high authority having estimated that there will be 150,000,000 at 
the close of the present century. It is also ascertained that the 
true gold value of the personal and real estate of the country is 
not less than $30,000,000,000. 

Education. — Massachusetts, as early as 1647, by law, enacted 
that "each town consisting of fifty householders was directed to 
maintain a school, to teach their children to read and write ; and 
every town of one hundred families was to maintain a grammar 
school to fit youth for college." As nearly as can be determined, 
the first teachers' association organized in the United States was 
the Middlesex county association for the improvement of common 
schools, founded at Middlesex, Connecticut, in 1790. In 1811 the 
society of teachers was established in New York, and in 1830-31 
similar associations were organized in Massachusetts. An institute 
of instruction was founded in Rhode Island in 1845, being the 
same year that Massachusetts founded the state teachers' associa- 
tion. In 1847 Ohio formed her state teachers' association. The 
teachers' seminary, opened at Concord, Vermont, in 1823, was the 
first institution that approximated the character of a normal school. 

At the close of the war of the revolution there were but seven 
colleges in the United States, to wit : Harvard, William and 
Mary, Yale, College of New Jersey, University of Pennsylvania, Co- 
olumbia, and Brown University. In 1870 there were in the states 
and territories 324 colleges, a faculty of 3,112 professors, and 63,642 
students, 8,519 of whom were females. There were also 811 acad- 
emies, 4,051 instructors, 98,929 students ; 205 female seminaries, 
2,120 instructors, and 24,613 students; also 26 colleges under the 
supervision of leading religious denominations. Besides these, there 
were in 1870, 110 theological schools, with 573 instructors, and 
3,828 students ; 37 law colleges, with 158 instructors, and 2,174 stu- 
dents; 94 medical colleges, with 1,148 instructors, and 8,681 stu- 
dents ; national schools of science ; commercial and business col- 
leges ; museums of natural history ; institutions for the blind, deaf 
and dumb; institutes of music ; and 1,100 libraries, with nearly 
10,000,000 volumes. 



758 CIVIL PROGRESS OF THE NATION. 

Manufactories. — The American people are rapidly becoming a 
manufacturing people. In this respect the progress of the nation 
has been onward to the grandest achievements. In the earlier 
annals of the country — distinctively so during the colonial epoch — 
the manufacturing genius and aspirations of the people were sub- 
jected and discouraged by penal codes and repressive enactments 
of Britain, whose exclusive and mercenary aim seemed to foster 
only those branches of industry that would alone excel in contri- 
butions to her commercial aggandizement. Her inordinate lust 
and greed developed itself in the inauguration of an untrammeled 
market for all the ramified agricultural products, extending even 
extraordinary inducements for the transmission of un wrought mate- 
rials ; her avaricious and Briarean passion at times propelling her 
to the advertisement of premiums for a still greater productive 
augmentation. 

In the incipiency of the national existence its manufacturing 
energies lay dormant, or in their manifestations were relatively 
unimportant. During the colonial period, progress in this % direc- 
tion was next to impossible. Between the periods of the revolu- 
tion and the second struggle with her hereditary oppressor, the na- 
tion sought recovery and resuscitation, more particularly from the 
wounds and prostrations she suffered at the hands of the mother 
country ; and as a consequence her exports in fields of manufacturing 
enterprise were essentially limited. Once released from the thral- 
dom of Great Britain, she devoted herself to manufacturing indus- 
tries, and to-day she is a competitor and rival of European states 
in the markets of the world. In the fabrication and production of 
iron and cotton and woolen goods, three grand staples, England 
alone is in equal competition with her. New York, Pennsylvania, 
Massachusetts, Connecticut, Khode Island, Ohio, Missouri, are 
vast manufacturing centers, and, territorially considered, are nearly 
twice as large as England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. In 1870, 
there were in the United States, and territories thereof, 252,148 man- 
ufacturing establishments, employing 2,053,996 hands, with capital 
of $2,118,208,000; distributing in wages, $775,584,343 ; consum- 
ing $2,488,427,242 worth of material ; the products amounting to 
$4,232,325,442. 



CIVIL PROGRESS OF THE NATION. 759 

Commerce. — The uniformity of the progress and development 
of the American nation is one of its most remarkable features, and 
in no particular is this more apparent than in the commercial thrift 
of the country. At the close of the revolution neither our exports 
nor imports amounted annually to $20,000,000. For the fiscal year 
ending July 1, 1874, the exports of the country were valued at 
$652,913,445 ; the imports at $595,861,248, or an excess of ex- 
ports over imports of $57,052,197. The tonnage of the United 
States merchant marine, employed in the foreign trade, the coast- 
wise trade, and the fisheries, in 1789, was 201,562 tons; in 1873, 
4,696,027 tons. 

Railroads. — As was the case in Great Britain, so it was in 
America, canals, turnpikes, tramways, etc., preceded railroads. In 
1826 a horse railroad was commenced from the granite quarries of 
Quincy, Massachusetts, to the Neponset river, three miles distant. 
During the following year it was completed, and another, nine 
miles long, was constructed from Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania, to 
the Lehigh river. Local enterprises of this character, limited to 
the transportation of mining products, multiplied, but the construc- 
tion of more extended lines awaited a heavier pressure of public 
necessities. In 1824 the immense resources of the vast Mississippi 
basin had attracted the attention of business men in the east, as 
promising a broad volume of trade between the two sections. The 
most exalted anticipations of the growth of the great west then in- 
dulged in were exceedingly feeble compared with what has since 
been realized. They were sufficient, however, to excite a keen 
and powerful competition between the cities of the seaboard for the 
trade of that region. New York, Philadelphia, Boston and Balti- 
more all clamored for communication with the eastern watershed 
of the great basin, but it was not until July 4, 1828, that ground 
was broken for the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, and the first pas- 
senger railway in the United States was placed under process of 
construction. 

The South Carolina road was commenced in 1830, and in 1833 
completed to Hamburg, 136 miles. It was then the largest rail- 
way in the world, and was the first upon which appeared an engine 



760 CIVIL PKOGRESS OF THE NATION. 

of American construction. It was also the first railroad upon 
which the mails were transported. 

In 1830 there were but 23 miles of railway in the United 
States; in 1840, 2,818; in 1860, 30,635; in 1872, 68,320. The 
Union Pacific railroad company was chartered by act of Congress 
July 2, 1862, with authority to construct a railroad from Omaha, 
on the Missouri, to the eastern line of California; the Central Pa- 
cific being organized July 1, 1862, to construct a railroad from 
Sacramento to the eastern boundary of the state. The work was 
commenced in February, 1863, and completed May 10, 1869, the 
two roads having formed a junction at Promontory, where the 
golden spike was driven. Thus was completed the initial line of 
trans-continental railway communication. When the enormous 
extent of the work is considered, and especially the towering obsta- 
cles on the more difficult portions of the line, we may well be as- 
tonished at the result, illustrating the American name with a 
glory uneclipsed by any former achievement in our short but 
eventful history. And what has thus been accomplished is only 
the starting point of a still more noble career; in fact it is but 
the preliminary demonstration of the wonderful capacities of 
railway enterprise for the amelioration of society and the subjec- 
tion of the earth's resources to the wants of civilized man. 

Telegraphs. — In 1840 there was not a mile of practically opera- 
ting telegraphic communication in the United States. In less 
than thirty years thereafter there were in the limits of the Union 
125,564 miles of wire, transmitting annually over 12,000,000 of 
messages. A sub-marine cable was finally successfully laid across 
the Atlantic in 1866, a distance of over 2,500 miles, under the di- 
rection of Cyrus W. Field. It is said to contain 25,000 miles of 
copper wire in the conductor, 35,000 miles of iron wire in the ex- 
ternal casing and nearly 400,000 miles of hemp strands, an equiva- 
lent in length of miles to fifty-six diameters of the globe. 

Agriculture. — Agriculture, "ancient as the world, having taken 
its birth in the terrestrial paradise itself," occupies pre-eminence 
among the pursuits of the people. No nation in the world has 
made such sudden and startling advances in the science of hus- 



CIVIL PROGRESS OF THE NATION. 761 

bandry as the inhabitants of the young republic. In the enter- 
prises of labor-saving machines it is without a rival. McCormick's 
reaper and mower revolutionized old and honored but laborious 
agricultural systems. It was not until the dawn of the nineteenth 
century that the mighty strides in agricultural and mechanical in- 
dustry received their powerful propulsion and momentum. It was 
reserved to the post-revolutionary period to witness the grandeur 
of their achievements. In 1870 there were produced in the Uni- 
ted States 287,745,626 bushels of wheat and 1,767,000,000 pounds 
of cotton, against 250,000 pounds produced in 1790. 

Book Manufacture. — In this department of printing the great- 
est energy is exerted and the utmost activity prevails. The 
achievements of science and the triumphs of genius in this sphere 
have been brilliant, if not wonderful. The appliances in use half 
a century ago would be regarded as worthless and impracticable 
in this age of machinery and steam. The cultured, ambitious in- 
tellect, and the advanced, progressive thought of the age, make 
possible and inevitable our great multiplication of books. An 
English author says : "American books are now executed with 
neatness and taste; their wood-cut embellishments sometimes sur- 
pass those of London ; and in point of size and price they are, for 
the most part, well adapted for general circulation. On account 
of the prevalence of education, and also the aspiring habits of the 
poople, book buyers of an humble position in life are greatly more 
numerous than they are in England." 

Newspapers. — September 25, 1690, the first newspaper in the 
United States was published at Boston. In 1784 the first daily 
sheet was issued in Philadelphia, and was known as the Pennsyl- 
vania Packet. In 1776 there were in the United States but 37 
public journals issued, all of which save one (a semi-weekly) were 
weeklies. In 1870 there were 4,333 political newspapers issued; 
503 illustrated, literary and miscellaneous; 407 religious; 207 
technical and professional, and 421 of other descriptions, making a 
total of 5,871. The Hoe press, perfected in 1847, has made it pos- 
sible to take 40,000 newspaper impressions in an hour. 

Mining. — One of the cardinal industries of the nation is its 



762 CIVIL PEOGEESS OF THE NATION. 

mines or the mining interest, so important in its bearings upon do- 
mestic and foreign trade; an industry with which thousands of our 
ambitious and eager population are identified, and the results of 
which are essential to the permanent prosperity of the country, 
and are expected to furnish the necessary metallic basis for the cur- 
rency of the country. These gold mining interests are scattered 
over a million of square miles and are embraced in numberless 
mineral districts. In 1870 the yield from the gold mines in the 
United States was $15,017,840. The production from 1,550 coal 
mines in 1870 amounted to 33,389,049 tons, and there was manu- 
factured of pig iron 2,046,123 tons, and of iron ore 3,210,908 tons. 

American Literature. — During the colonial history of the Uni- 
ted States the empire of letters was but sparingly enriched by con- 
tributions of any remarkable standard value. The conditions of 
the seventeenth century were not of a character to foster the produc- 
tions of genius. What was known as " Sandy's Ovid," dedicated 
to King Charles I., and issued in 1626, is memorably one of the 
earliest contributions to the literature of the mother country bear- 
ing the print of colonial authorship. During this century Captain 
Smith published his " Descriptions of Virginia," a book of conceded 
interest, which was followed by a puritanic metrical rendition of 
the Psalms, as well as the tolerable effusions of Benjamin Thomp- 
son and Miss Anne Bradstreet. The controversies of Roger Wil- 
liams, Cotton Mather, and John Elliott, who was so enthusiastically 
inclined to the proselytism of the Indians, were in their way par- 
donable prose, to be remembered in connection with the times in 
which they were written. 

The beginning of the eighteenth century was characterized by 
more activity in this direction, perhaps, than its predecessor. In 
the domain of theology, a genius of rarest brilliancy darted athwart 
the heavens, leaving behind it a light that has, and will continue 
to illuminate the ages. Religious controversies excited the public 
mind, and the intellectual forces of the century were deeply ab- 
sorbed in the results of these disputatious tournaments. It was at 
this period that the Rev. Jonathan Edwards, of Connecticut, who 
was proclaimed by his admirers to be " the first man of the world 
during the second quarter of the eighteenth century," made his 



CIVIL PKOGKESS OF THE NATION. 763 

appearance, and by the vigor and variety of his thought, the bril- 
liancy and terseness of his expression, and the compactness and 
power of his logic, ennobled the theological literature, not only of 
his own country, but of the world. 

Benjamin Franklin, the name of whom, " as long as utilitarian 
philosophy endures will be a name to conjure with, ,? fertilized the 
literature of the new world and enriched the philosophy of the times. 
As economist, statesman, philosopher, diplomat and experimenter, 
he was the most practical of men. The ethics of" Poor Richard's 
Almanac," though written in homely guise, are quaint specimens 
of incisive as well as humorous prose. 

The literature of the nineteenth century embraces most signally 
men of pre-eminence and distinction in the walks of physical and 
mental science, in history, philosophy, polite literature, poetry, 
criticism, etc. Oratory did not die with Patrick Henry or 
James Otis, for Webster, Clay, Calhoun and Everett will ever re- 
main as masters in their realm. Verplanck, Wirt, Sparks, Hil- 
dreth, Bancroft, Motley and Prescott, the " artistic historian," 
have adorned, embellished and rendered almost priceless the themes 
and men they have crystallized in their elegant and stately prose. 

Washington Irving was among the earliest of American authors 
to give unmistakable character and dignity to American polite lit- 
erature in Europe. His amiable manner and graceful and genial 
style soon admitted him to the affections of the readers of two con- 
tinents. His versatile and exhaustless genius employed itself in 
the delineation of inimitable sketches ; in fascinating, elegant and 
instructive histories; in burlesques, and legends like " Sleepy Hol- 
low" and "Rip Van Winkle," the latter furnishing the best type 
of amusement and grinning, weird-faced, stunning humor. "Died- 
rich Knickerbocker's History of New York " is pronounced by a 
European critic to be, " in point of pure originality, his materpiece, 
and one of the richest farragoes of fact, fancy and irony that ever 
issued from the press." 

In fiction, Cooper, notwithstanding his verbose descriptions, 
attained pre-eminent rank, and was a most independent, original 
and sparkling genius. In this domain of literary activity are prom- 
inent the names of Brockden Brown, Paulding, Hoffman, Simms, 
Kennedy, Poe, etc. 



764 CIVIL PEOGEESS OF THE NATION, 

Hawthorne, however, was the most artistic of American roman- 
cers and writers in prose. " Of his style it is impossible to speak 
too highly ; for, without any of the defects found in the writings 
of his countrymen, it has a healthy flavor of nationality. It is accu- 
rate and strong, terse and yet full, rich and yet simple, harmonious, 
varied and suggestive. These excellencies of form give a fascina- 
tion to his most ordinary themes as to his descriptions of scenery 
and works of art." Escaping from "the moonlight of romance," 
he manifested his ability for grand achievements in sketch-work 
and excursions in fairy lands. 

Channing, Parker, etc., though transcendentalists, are represen- 
tatives of original systems of thought. Their batteries are directed 
against all wrongs and systems of old theologues, their hours of 
most precious study being devoted to peregrinations through the 
ethery spaces of idealism, scepticism, materialism, mysticism, orient- 
alism, pantheism, and all the modern and ancient isms and philoso- 
phies, their rambles and excursions tending everywhere, and culmi- 
nating in one mighty jar to all definite and settled institutions, sys- 
tems and beliefs. To this class also belongs Emerson. 

Humorists, like Lowell, Holmes, Neal, Artemas Ward, Bret 
Harte, and Mark Twain, throw sunshiny gaiety over the common- 
places of society and life, and pervade the lighter literature of the 
country with noisy merriment, buoyancy and laughter on all sides. 

American poetry justly ranks with that of the most refined and 
cultivated countries, and is permeated with a freshness, spirit, inspi- 
ration and originality peculiarly its own. Of the living masters 
of the poetic art Longfellow confessedly occupies pre-eminence. 
Every sentence that he writes is " clear as crystal and pure as 
snow." His scholarly attainments are of the highest order, yet 
"he wears the weight of learning lightly as a flower; and though he 
can not create, he can not touch without adorning. He seldom 
gives us thoughts absolutely new, but he puts our best thoughts 
in the best language." Bryant was one of the earlier poets who 
won fame. His Thanatopsis remained his masterpiece to the time 
of his death, though there was kindly pathos and beauty in all he 
wrote. 

An English authority writing upon the subject of American 
literature says, in substance : " Foremost among the more attractive 



NATIONAL GKOWTH. 765 

features of transatlantic literature is its freshness. The authority 
which is the guide of old nations constantly threatens to become 
tyrannical; they wear their traditions like a chain; and, in the can- 
onization of laws of taste the creative powers are repressed. Even 
in England we write under fixed conditions, with the fear of critics 
before our eyes. If there is a gain in this habit of self-restraint, 
there is a loss in the consequent laek of spontaneity. Another 
feature of American literature is its comprehensiveness; what it 
has lost in depth it has gained in breadth. Addressing a vast au- 
dience, it appeals to universal sympathies. In the new world there 
are no Grand Seigniors, no human vegetables; and if there are fewer 
giants, there are also fewer mannikins. Under habits of self-re- 
straint, and the culture of her nobler minds, we may anticipate for 
the literature of America, under the mellowing influence of time, 
an illustrious future." 



NATIONAL GROWTH. 

It can no longer be doubted that North America, by its re- 
markable physical conformation and peculiar position in history, is 
wonderfully fitted for the development of commercial power. 
Here all the disintegrating influences of the Old World are happily 
unknown. The mountain and desert barriers of Asia, which broke 
infant society into divergent and hostile fragments, find no repro- 
duction on this continent. Diversities of chorography, climate, soil, 
and productions, here fade into each other by imperceptible degrees, 
giving scope to homogeneous civilization founded upon universal 
comity. Imported differences of race subsist but for a single gen- 
eration, while national boundaries, founded on no well-defined nat- 
ural frontiers, are destined to silently pass away as the true idea 
of American society is developed. An "ocean-bound republic," a 
single flag waving from the Arctic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico, 
has long been foreshadowed in the public mind. Without war, 
without any rupture of the public peace or violation of the public 
faith, by the silent operation of physical and moral forces, all this 
will be accomplished. The perpetuation of our landed policy and 
its extension over the continent, as national jurisdiction enlarges, 
will establish a permanent democratic civilization, secured by dif- 






766 NATIONAL GROWTH. 



fusion of proprietary rights in the soil such as no democracy ever 
yet enjoyed. Our geographical position is right in the main axial 
line of 'the globe's grand commercial movement, soon to be devel- 
oped throughout its entire extent. The comparative cheapness of 
ocean carriage has hitherto caused an enormous deflection in the 
track of commerce around the southern extremity of Africa and 
South America, but this has long been felt as an oppressive re- 
striction, and the most strenuous efforts have been made to evade it. 

Both of the great continental masses, sometimes called the east- 
ern and western hemispheres, contract in their central portions to 
narrow isthmus belts, seeming to invite human enterprise to a com- 
pletion of oceanic intercommunication, by excavating ship canals, 
thus saving thousands of miles of difficult and dangerous naviga- 
tion. On the eastern continent this idea is as old as civilization 
itself, and has, at least twice in the past ages, been realized in 
practice. The isthmus of Suez, at a very early period in history, 
was traversed by a canal said to have been commenced by Pharaoh 
Necho, and finished by Darius, the Persian King. Having been 
permitted to fall into dilapidation, it was subsequently restored by 
Ptolemy Philadelphus to a condition of effectiveness, in which it 
continued at least till the age of Augustus, when it gave passage 
to large Roman fleets engaged in the India trade. Under the 
sway of Mohammedanism it was again permitted to perish, being 
almost obliterated by the destructive agencies of nature. Its out- 
lines were, however, observed by the first Napoleon, in his Egyp- 
tian campaign, suggesting to his profound intellect its admirable 
strategic advantages, as well as its commercial importance. One 
of the Napoleonic ideas left by the great conqueror to his succes- 
sor, to France, and to the world, was the re-opening of the Suez 
canal, which marked the removal of the great obstacle to a contin- 
uous line of ocean navigation, traversing the eastern portion of the 
northern hemisphere. 

Attention has been sharply attracted to a similar opportunity for 
abbreviating lines of communication between the Atlantic and Pa- 
cific by uniting in a similar manner the two great continents of 
the western hemisphere. Engineering science, it may be said, per- 
severes in failing to find any practicable line of canal construction 
across the isthmus which does not involve a greater expenditure of 



NATIONAL GROWTH. 767 

capital and labor than can be rallied to the enterprise. A railroad 
across the isthmus of Panama has been in successful operation for 
many years, thus offering the next best substitute for the canal 
project. It might be supposed that a great line of world's traffic, 
consisting of cheap ocean navigation, connecting with this short 
link of land transportation, would be able to defy all rivalry of 
similar lines of combined ocean and land transportation further 
north. Yet we find a line of railway across nearly the broadest 
portion of North America, embracing over three thousand miles 
of expensive railway carriage, entering into a formidable and 
threatening competition with the southern route, a railway, too, 
which passes over a belt of country containing hundreds of mil- 
lions of acres of public lands, destined at no distant future to be 
covered by actual settlements. 

In utter defiance of doctrines that were presumed to be de- 
termined by experience, the relative influence of railways in trans- 
portation and travel is augmenting. Despite the comparative cheap- 
ness of water carriage by canals, the amount of cheaper raw ma- 
terial seeking railroad transit is annually increasing. For the 
movement of the lighter and more expensive articles of commerce, 
such as the teas and silks of China, which represent a vast amount 
of labor expended upon their gathering and fabrication, the cost 
of carriage will bear but a small ratio to their market price, and 
will give to our long line of trans-continental railroad, with its 
rapidity of transit, an overwhelming advantage. The tendency of 
normal civilization is to condense the value of articles of commerce 
by manufacturing raw material near the place of its production, 
thus diminishing the friction of transportation. The greater the 
number of chemical and mechanical changes that can be wrought 
upon raw material near the place of its production, not only lowers 
the cost of transhipment but also makes that cost to bear a de- 
pressed ratio to the value of the freight. The comparative cheap- 
ness of ocean transportation will then be partly neutralized by this 
condensation of commercial values. The rapidity of transit, as the 
system of modern commerce becomes more elaborate and settled, 
is an increasing element of power operating in favor of our trans- 
continental line, whose last link was forged in the completion of 
the Union and Central Pacific roads. 






768 NATIONAL GROWTH. 

The growing power of railways over water carriage is illustrated 
in the case of Holland and Belgium. At the separation of these 
countries in 1830, the former possessed a much larger commerce 
and a greatly superior water communication by sea and canal transit. 
In 1835 the total exports and imports of Belgium were about $50,- 
000,000, while those of Holland were about double this aggregate. 
In 1833, however, the Belgium system of railways was inaugurated 
under the superintendence of the great Euglish engineer, George 
Stephenson. The Dutch, meanwhile, relying upon their water 
communication, made no special effort to engage in railway enter- 
prise till the remarkable strides of Belgian commerce awoke them 
to effort. The Dutch Rhenish railway, constructed to recover 
their former superiority, was not fully opened till 1856; but the 
palm of commercial superiority had passed to the younger rival. 
The imports and exports of Holland in 1862 were less than $300,- 
000,000, while those of Belgium approached $400,000,000. The 
advance of modern civilization may be gauged from the extension 
of its railway lines. The same influences which extend the com- 
petitive power of railways in the narrower sphere of local traffic are 
now felt on a grander scale in the nation's great trans-continental 
line. 

This long route of travel and communication — and others are 
being built— running through the entire length of the country, 
will ultimately supersede the short isthmus line in the convey- 
ance of passengers and merchandise across the western hemis- 
phere. The counterbalancing advantage of the northern line, and 
the abbreviation of ocean distance, may be seen by comparing the 
actual length of the fortieth parallel with that of the equator, or of 
the diagonal deflections that must of necessity be made in descend- 
ing to a latitude even so high as that of Panama Isthmus. The 
swelling of the earth at the equator, and the consequent enormous 
enlargement of distances around it, are apt to be overlooked even 
by intelligent thinkers on these subjects. 

The alignment is remarkably direct, as a glance at the Merca- 
torial map of the world will show, for a continuous route of travel 
and traffic from the head of navigation on the Yang-tse-kiang 
river, in China, passing through San Francisco, New York, and 
the entire length of the Mediterranean Sea to Port Said, the north- 



NATIONAL GROWTH. 769 

em terminus of the Suez Canal. The impracticable continent of 
Asia here breaks the continuity of this line. The massive Hima- 
layas preclude even railway passage upon any principle now known. 
The transit of the three southern peninsulas, Arabia, Hindostan 
and Farther India, would involve an annoying frequency of trans- 
shipment ; hence, the great line of the world's traffic will be com- 
pelled to drop down to the Indian Ocean, accepting cheaper ocean 
transport as the compensation for greater distance and slower time. 

That portion of the line, however, traversing our continent, is 
susceptible of still greater abbreviation. The line of the Union 
and Central Pacific roads was a compromise one, in which impor- 
tant advantages inured to local interests. The Northern Pacific, 
crossing our interior mountain chains at much lower altitudes, 
with a more direct alignment, and passing over an immense zone 
of the public domain, claims to offer a land transit across the con- 
tinent at least three hundred miles shorter than other routes, be- 
sides an ocean navigation from Seattle, its western terminus, to 
China and Japan, some five hundred miles shorter than from San 
Francisco to the same countries. Other abbreviations of this land 
route may be effected by other railway enterprises, as the necessi- 
ties of trade and travel may demand. We have, then, partially 
developed the elements of a main line of traffic and travel girdling 
the earth near the fortieth parallel. Along this the mass of the 
trade of the northern hemisphere will ere long be made to pass. 
The commercial ascendency of northern Europe is a thing of the 
past. It was suited to the imperfectly-developed commercial and 
industrial aptitudes of the passing age, but world-wide civilization 
is now beginning to assume its rounded development. 

The barbarism of the western continent is now completely 
overshadowed, and the semi-barbarism of the eastern continent un- 
dermined by progressive influences and ideas. Yang-tse-kiang is 
already vexed with the paddle of the steamer ; foreign commerce 
is pushing its cargoes up that river hundreds of miles from Shang- 
hai into the very heart of the Celestial empire. That great mon- 
archy, hoary, superannuated, decrepit, must rely for the prolonga- 
tion of its existence upon once despised outside barbarians. Mo- 
hammedan insurrections have disintegrated many of her provinces, 
49 



770 



NATIONAL GKOWTH. 







while the too peripatetic Tartar in the dependencies of the em- 
pire have learned the effeminate nature of the power which through 
the centuries has inthralled them. 

The Semitic governments of Asia are breaking down by the in- 
firmities of age and natural decay, and sinking before the on- 
slaught of the commerce and conquest of the Occident. Her so- 
cial and political status has, within the last century, been subjected 
to influences which promise to result in a complete revolution. 
The first European adventurers that came in contact with the Chi- 
nese were not of a character to inspire very lofty ideas of western 
culture and civilization, nor to humble the lofty pride nurtured by 
four thousand years of imperial sway. The pliant policy of the 
English East India company, submitting to every indignity for the 
sake of trade, confirmed the Chinaman in his contempt for foreign- 
ers. This led to hostilities with England and France, whose mili- 
tary and naval operations in the different wars from 1839 to 1860 
demonstrated the superiority of western civilization. 

The ascendency of Europeans in China is now an accomplished 
and irrevocable fact, accepted by public opinion. This popular 
impression is less the fruit of military success than of the quiet 
operation of commercial intercourse. The introduction of the im- 
provements in navigation and internal communication by foreigners, 
and the enhanced value of business naturally resulting therefrom, 
have awakened new ideas and wants which can be met by no 
agency in the old society system. And the other Asiatic nations 
are passing through a similar series of organic changes. 

A universal civilization moves irresistibly along, and to its 
shaping influences, Semitic exclusiveness and conservatism must 
yield. Diversities of race and religion will soon cease to interpose 
barriers to the free intercourse of nations, and will soon fade away 
before the increasing power of commerce, the diffusion of intelli- 
gence and the unification of faith. In the midst of these social 
changes, the activity of political movements is no less marked and 
effective. Europe has settled down upon a policy of systematic con- 
quest in Asia, the operations of which are by no means suspended 
in the so-called intervals of peace ; while the gates of Janus are 
shut, the wiles of diplomacy and the ceaseless movements of trade 
are undermining the native potentates and preparing the aggressive 



NATIONAL GKOWTH. 771 

forces which, upon the first specious pretext, are to be hurled 
against them. 

On the north the semi-Asiatic empire of Russia has been for 
ages projecting its conquests east and south, absorbing immense 
continental areas, and welding the most diverse popular elements 
into a single political system. The drift of the controlling forces 
of her civilization is eastward to the Pacific. The exiles of Siberia, 
embracing the ardent, energetic, irrepressible elements of the pop- 
ulation, whose presence in the European provinces was deemed in- 
consistent with the peace of the Russian system, have, amid the 
bleak desolation of the northern slope of the continent, where serf- 
dom never planted its foot, built up a social system, compact, vig- 
orous, projective, ready to respond to the call of the free civilization 
which we have now planted across the Pacific. 

England, on the south, has built up a splendid commercial and 
military empire, radiating her civilization downward from the seat 
of authority by means of internal improvements projected upon a 
comprehensive plan. While missionaries of hundreds of Chris- 
tian churches are engaged in remodeling the social and moral ele- 
ments of the population, the industrial system of India has been 
re-patterned and reduced to an entire dependence upon that of 
England. France has her eye turned with liquid anxiety to the 
anticipated dismemberment of the central Asiatic empire. This 
eastern question has broadened its issues to compass interests un- 
conceived in its earlier periods. 

A new empire of democracy has established itself on what was 
lately the abode of barbarism, the western coast of the North 
American continent. The republic has a commanding position in 
the disposal of Asiatic nationalities which it is amply able to vin- 
dicate by force, if necessary, but which it proposes to secure by the 
peaceful influences of a higher civilization. As American re- 
sources upon the Pacific slope are developed, our moral and physi- 
cal influence in the Asiatic problem increases, while the rupture of 
the peace of the world for purposes of conquest and aggrandize- 
ment by the European powers involves wider interests and graver 
consequences. This significant fact has been already noticed by 
the governments of eastern Asia, which are now learning to lean 
upon the moral support of this republic in the long contest for ex- 



772 NATIONAL GKOWTH. 

istence which they have maintained against European powers. 
China, disenchanted of her illusions in regard to her superiority 
over other countries, supplicates national recognition, that she, too, 
may escape danger and absorption from European conquest which 
has been the gloomy fate of many Oriental states. Under the in- 
fluence of the American idea she has consented to be a witness to 
the reconstruction and regeneration of her hoary civilization ; and 
is joyfully willing that those improvements in science and art 
which had enabled western nations to prevail against her, should 
be incorporated into her social system. 

The great principles on which our government rests are now 
firmly established and generally acknowleged, assimilating to the 
theory in the natural world of the planetary system, recognizing 
the general government as the sun of that system, and the states as 
political planets revolving around the common center, held in their 
orbits by primordial laws. Under momentum of renewed national 
prosperity and genial impulses, our industrial and commercial ma- 
chinery is again in operation, accumulating wealth, and giving 
peace and plenty to the land ; while our educational and moral in- 
fluences are no less active in refining and elevating our develop- 
ment and progress, and in enabling us to realize the bolder and 
more exalted aims and ends of civilization. 



INDEX. 



PAGE. 

Aborignes must submit 581 

Adams, John, extract from letter of 582 
Address to inhabitants of Virginia 

and Pennsylvania < 349 

Adair, Major John, attacked by In- 
dians 505 

Alien and Sedition Laws 535 

Alabama, history of 672 

Alaska 746 

Alert, sloop, captured 574 

Algiers, war declared against 580 

Alton riots 599 

America, early voyages to 12 

American Union, efforts at separa- 

ration from 530 

American temperance society 592 

Amherst, General, offers a reward... 323 

Ammonites, punishment ©f 19 

Annapolis, battle near 285 

Ancient cave 492 

Anti-rent disturbance 602 

Arkansas, history of 722 

Arizona 745 

Ashburton treaty 600 

Atkin, extract from letter of 318 

Balboa 273 

Bankruptcies in the U. S 589 

Berkeley, William, Sir, expedition of 287 

Berkelev, William, statement by 288 

Black Hawk war... 593 

Boniface, bishop of Mentz 12 

Boston founded 282 

Boston massacre 341 

Boston harbor, tea thrown over- 
board 342 

Boone Daniel — 

Goes to Kentucky 336 

Captured 356 

Removes west 529 

Died 583 

Life of 584 

Boonesboro, Ky., besieged 358 



PAGE. 

Bouquet's expedition 327 

Bowman's, Colonel John, expedition 401 

Boundary line settled 599 

Braddock's defeat 315 

Bradstreet's, General, expedition 327 

British parliament, act of 343 

Brodhead's, Colonel, expedition 404 

Bullitt, Captain Thomas 342 

Bull of Pope Alexander 127 

Bunker Hill monument completed- 601 

Bunker Hill, battle of 350 

Burr, Aaron, conspiracy of 557 

Butler, General Richard 427 

California, history of 736 

Colonial Laws — 

Early 21 

Colonial Laws of Connecticut— 
Adulterers to be whipped, burnt, 

ear cut off, etc 64 

Blasphemy in 39 

Burglary and robbery in, letter 

"B" on forehead 64 

Church members, magistrates, 

etc 84 

Marriages, laws relating to 72 

Rogues, punishment of 71 

Colonial Laws of Carolina — 
Blasphemy and profaneness, 

suppression of 33 

Conformity, acts of 76 

Conformity, grant of 82 

Lord's-day, observance of 54 

Lord's-day, laws against sports 

on 76 

Religion, toleration of 50 

Sunday, no traveling on 75 

Worship of God, compulsory... 55 

Colonial Laws of Delaware — 

Blasphemy in 39 

Extract from laws of.. 77 



(773) 



774 



INDEX. 



Colonial Laws of Georgia — 

Arms to be carried to church... 75 
Bull baiting, horse racing, etc., 

laws relating to 75 

Conscience, liberty of.. 41 

Wesley, John, in Georgia 81 

Colonial Laws of Massachusetts — 

Apparel, laws relating to 27 

Atheism, an act against 38 

Backsliding in 43 

Christian Sabbath in 44 

Contemners of religion 29 

Conscience, liberty of 44 

Funerals, retrenchment at 73 

Idle persons, punishment of 72 

Imprisonment for debt 74 

Jesuits in 42 

Pride, laws relating to 28 

Qu akers, laws against 35 

Scolds, punishment of 27 

Society for propagation of Chris- 
tian knowledge 45 

Sundry criminal offenses 73 

Theft punishable without bene- 
fit of clergy 67 

Torture prohibited 32 

Witchcraft in 32, 33, 79, 80 

Colonial Laws of Maryland— 

Blasphemy, punishment of 30 

Conscience, liberty of 39 

Counterfeiting, punishment of.. 67 
Grant of Maryland to Lord Bal- 
timore 61 

Horse stealing 62 

Religion, lands for support of... 58 

Sabbath, breakers of 58 

Stealing, petty, burnt with iron.. 69 

Witchcraft in 33-84 

Wills, altering and embezzling.. 68 

Colonial Laws of New Jersey — 

Adultery, laws against 65 

Conscience, freedom of 47 

Ministers, concerning 53 

Queen Anne to Lord Cornbury 48 

Sabbath, observance of 53 

Sabbath, duties of constables on 49 

Thanksgiving day 54 

Witchcraft and perjury 47 

Colonial Laws of New Hampshire — 
Conscience, liberty of, to Prot- 
estants.... 49 

Cursing and swearing 69 

Drunkards, to be posted.... 66 

Lord's day 74 

Colonial Laws of New York — 
Jesuits and popish priests, an 

act against 46 



Colonial Laws of N. Carolina — 

Drunkenness and swearing 65 

Quakers and popish recusants.. 57 

Colonial Laws of Pennsylvania — 

Blaspheming in 36 

Conscience, liberty of 30-41 

Debtors, paid by servitude 67 

Witchcraft in.. 36-80 

Colonial Laws of Ehode Island — 
Freedom of conscience in 52 

Colonial Laws of S. Carolina — 

Citizens to go armed to church. 50-81 
Horse stealing in 62 

Colonial Laws of Virginia— 

Attorneys, mercenary 51 

Babbling women, punishment of 26 

Blasphemy, punishment of 31 

Children, punishment for the 

refusal of baptism 60 

Church wardens, oath of 56 

Chapel of Ease 57 

Divulgers of false news 52 

Guns, to be carried to church... 59 

King James, letters of 69 

Ministers, duties of 26 

Ministers to teach children and 

visit the sick 56 

Ministers, non-conformists 77 

Negro and mulatto witnesses... 63 

Popish recusants, and convicts. 52 

Quakers, suppression of. . 34 

Quakers, laws concerning 35 

Religion in 78 

Religion, freedom of 82 

Secret councilors, etc 59 

Sabbath, penalty for not at- 
tending church 55 

Second charter granted to 70 

Submits to government of 

Cromwell 42 

Witchcraft, trial for 80 

Colorado, History of 728 

Columbus Christopher 271 

Congress, act of to divide territory.. 542 

Chillicothe, legislature met at 544 

Civil Progress of the Nation — 
Population and Area of U. S-. 756 

Education 757 

Manufactures 758 

Commerce 759 

Railroads 759 

Telegraph 760 

Agriculture 760 

Book Manufacture 761 

Newspapers 761 

Mining 761 

American Literature 762 






INDEX. 



775 



Corydon, seat of government at 575 

Creek war terminated 576 

Congress the, of 1774 581 

Clark, George K.. died 583 

Conestoga wagons 588 

Connecticut, history of 623 

Charleston, S. C, negro conspiracy 

in 590 

Charter Oak 292 

Chesapeake and Delaware canals 

opened 592 

Chicago, first steamboat at 593 

Cholera at Quebec and New York .. 593 
Charles Carroll, of Carrollton, died 594 
Congress, ratification of treaty with 

China by 604 

Crozat receives grant of Louisiana .. 296 

Dakota 746 

Dade, Major, butchery of, and officers 594 

Dartmouth, Lord, letter from 348 

Deane, Silas, letter of 351 

Delaware, History of 649 

Declaration of American Independ- 
ence adopted 353 

Decatur, Commodore, captures the 

Macedonian 575 

Decatur, Commodore, sailed for Al- 
giers 581 

Deerfield, New England, destroyed 

by Indians 295 

Detroit, settlement founded at 295 

Detroit visited by Winthrop Sargent, 

and county of Wayne laid out.... 528 
Dinwiddie, Governor, letter from ... 344 

District of Columbia, history of 653 

Doddridge, Rev. Doctor 489 

Doomsday Book 120 

Dorr's Insurrection 601 

D'Aubray's Expedition 320 

Drake, Sir Francis voyage of 275 

Dunmore, Governor, letter from.... 344 

Dunmore, descended the Ohio 345 

Dunmore, treaty of 345 

Dunmore, meeting of officers of 347 

Duluth visited Falls of St. Anthony 290 

Earthquake in New England 283 

Elliott, John, first preacher to Indi- 
ans of Massachusetts, in native 

language 284 

Elliott, John, translated Bible, etc.. 286 
Elliott, John, Indian Bible first pub- 
lished by 287 

Elections, Irish intimidation at 306 

Emigration, early causes of 101 

English and French Colonies, hos- 
tilities between 307 

English take possession of the Illi- 
nois country 331 

Estill, Captain James, killed by In- 
dians 409 

Erie Canal, DeWitt Clinton 591 



Education — 

Regulations concerning 46S 

Education under colonial gov- 
ernment 104, 105, 106 

Free schools in Virginia, pro- 
vision for 107, 108, 109 

College for conversion of Infi- 
dels, Virginia 110 

School-masters in Philadelphia 110 
School-masters sold for back 

service 110 

School-masters in New Jersey.. Ill 

School-masters in Carolina 114 

Schools in Maryland Ill 

Poor children, education of in 

Maryland 113, 114 

Free schools in Carolina 113 

Grammar schools in NewHamp- 

shire 115 

Selectmen fined for not keeping 

school in New Hampshire 115 

School houses, etc 116 

School teacher, first west of the 

Ohio 476 

Evans, Oliver, prophesy of 582 

Fauquier, Governor, communication 

of 334 

Fauquier, Governor, letter to Gov- 
ernor of Pennsylvania 334 

Ferdinand de Soto discovered Mis- 
sissippi river 274 

Fenno's Gazette printed 477 

Florida, history of 668 

Florida retroceded to Spain 327 

Floyd, John B., emigration views of.. 588 
Francisco Vasquez de Coronado's 

expedition 275 

France, her designs on the Wabash.. 307 

Franklin, Benjamin, schemes of 313 

Franklin, Benjamin, instructions of.. 316 
Franklin Benjamin, expedition of... 317 

Free schools, gift of land for 284 

Filson's, John, work on Kentucky... 416 
Forbes, General, possesses Fort Du- 

quesne 319 

Frontier inhabitants 333 

Fulton, Robert, steamboats 559 

Fulton, Robert, letter from 575 

Fort Clark on the Illinois 578 

Fort Defiance 574 

Fort Detroit surrendered 574 

Fort Frontenac 289 

Fort Hamilton 573 

Fort Harmar 428 

Fort Harrison 574 

Fort Henry 356 

Fort Jefferson 503 

Fort Laurens 358 

Fort Ligonier 319 

Fort Madison 574 

Fort Mcintosh , 316 



776 



INDEX. 



Fort Mcintosh treaty 

Fort Meigs, siege of by General 

Proctor 

Fort Nelson 

Fort Kandolph 

Fort Kecovery 

Fort Kosalie 

Fort Snelling 

Fort Steuben 

Forts, block houses, etc., in Kentucky 

Gage, General, proclamation by 

Gage, General, proclamation by 

Gas, first in United States 

Georgia, history of 

Georgia, Governor of, on Spanish 

claims 

George II., royal charter of 

George III., extract from ordinance 



of. 



Georgetown, D. C, founded 

General Assembly,first met at James- 
town 

Gibson, John, Secretary of Indiana 
territory 

Gilbert, Sir Humphrey 

Girty, Simon 

Girty, Simon, besieges Bryant's Sta- 
tion, Kentucky , 

Gist, Christopher, expedition of 

Government, seat of removed to 
Washington, D. C 

Government, seat petitioned for on 
White river 

Grant, Major, defeated 

Gravier Jacob 

Great Britain, war declared against.. 

Grenville, Sir Kichard, sent to Vir- 
ginia 

Hamilton, Lieutenant-Governor, at 
Detroit, proclamation of 

Hamilton, Alex., killed by Burr.... 

Hand; General Edward 

Harrison, William Henry — 
Secretary of territory northwest 

of river Ohio 539 

Made governor of Indiana ter- 
ritory 543 

First message of 548 

Purchase by 564 

Speech by the Prophet 565 

Prophet's reply to 567 

Defeated Indians at Tippecanoe 574 

Hardin's, Colonel John, expedition. 473 

Harmar, Colonel Josiah — 

Instructions to 417 

Letter to Ensign Armstrong 418 

Letter from Ensign Armstrong 

to.. 420 

Petition of settlers to 421 

Notice to settlers 422 



417 

515 
410 
350 
511 

296 
588 
472 
523 
320 
342 
588 
665 

435 
302 

324 
309 

280 

543 
276 
358 

409 
309 

544 

573 
319 

293 
574 

276 ( 

355 
556 
353 



Harmar, Colonal Josiah — 

Letter to President of Congress 422 

Letter to Secretary of War 425 

Letter to from Sec'y of War 430 

Ordersto 431 

Letters to Secretary of War, 

_ 432-52-4-9-66-9-470 

Arrives at Cincinnati 477 

Under command of Scott, and 

marches into Indian country. 478 
Marches against Indian villages 480 

Orders to his men 481 

Harrod, James 346 

Hartford convention 576 

Heckwelder, Moravian missionary.. 590 

Hennepin Louis 163 

Henry's, John, secret mission 575 

Hudson river discovered 279 

Indians — 

Deed to William Penn by 135 

Act against buying lands from. 136 
To be first served with lands ... 136 

Colonial laws relating to 160 

Origin, customs, traditions, su- 
perstitions, modes of govern- 
ment, etc 161 

Massachusetts Indians' lands... 168 
Indian powwow prohibited in 

Massachusetts 169 

Concerning Indians in Virginia 

169, 172 
Against stealing of Indians in 

Virginia 170 

Free trade with Indians in Vir- 
ginia 171 

Trusting Indians, an act — Vir- 
ginia 171 

Sale of, authorized — Virginia 172 
Indians as jurors in New Jersey 173 

Indians, guns — New Jersey 174 

Treated with kindness — N. J. 174 
Selling intoxicating liquors to 
— New Jersey and Pennsyl- 
vania 174-177 

Indians to bring skins of wild 
beasts or be whipped — Caro- 
lina 175 

To prevent abuse of Indians.... 176 

Indian traders in Carolina 177 

Keward to Indians — Carolina... 178 
Indians shall not own lands in 

New Jersey 178 

An act to restrain Indians in 

Carolina 179 

Cherokee Indians — Carolina.... 180 

Indians in South Carolina 181 

Prohibiting trade with Indians 

in New Hampshire 181 

Penalty for passing certain lim- 
its — Virginia 181 



INDEX. 



777 



Indians — 

Indians in Conneticut 183 

Imported Indians in Conneticut 183 
Scalps, reward for in Virginia.. 184 
Dogs for hunting Indians — New 

Jersey 185 

Pay for scalps — South Carolina 186 
Indian prisoners to be sold as 

slaves — North Carolina 186 

Murder of Indians— Georgia... 187 
Eeward for scalps in Pennsyl- 
vania 188 

Indians and rum in Pennsylva- 
nia 188 

Keward for capturing Indians 

—Carolina 220 

War against 282 

Prohibition of trade against.... 282 
Christian mission established... 283 

War between the Pequods 283 

Shawanees settle on Ohio river. 283 
Attack of, on colonists — Vir- 
ginia 284 

Information to the governor of 

Virginia 284 

Huron tribe of, destroy the Iro- 
quois 285 

First treaty with Penn 291 

Massacre at Montreal 292 

French attack settlement at 

Schenectady 292 

Attack on Indian traders 298 

Delawares migrated to the head 

waters of the Ohio 298 

Threatened attack of 300 

Nottoways 301 

French settlement destroyed by 301 
Settlement destroyed by French 301 

Temperance, council of 304 

Traders, names of 305 

Complaints against rum. 305 

Traders, description of 306 

Miamis, first treaty with 307 

Destroy an English trading post 

on Loramie creek 310 

Prisoners, names of 310 

Armstrong's attack upon 316 

Missionaries visit the 322 

Seize English military post at 

Mackinaw 323 

Demands of 323 

Defeated by Colonel Bouquet... 327 

Method of scalping 331 

Purchase of lands from 342 

Conference with 343 

Massacre of 343 

Cherokees, purchase of lands 

from 350 

Depredations and pursuit of.... 354 
Tribes of, at war with settlers... 359 



Indians — 

Scalping of, not approved by 

Washington 401 

To receive military commis- 
sions 402 

Hostilities in Western Pennsyl- 
vania , 403 

Attack Fort Jefferson 404 

Attack Colonel Lochry 406 

Council with at Vincennes 417 

Council 428 

Treaty with 428 

Address to thirteen tribes 433 

Failure to treat with 450 

Mode of warfare 480 

Massacre by 480 

Grand council of 505 

Commissioners to 508 

Commissioners, their address to. 510 

Attack Morgan's Station 511 

Treaties of peace with at Green- 
ville 524 

The Prophet's followers 564 

Massacre near Chicago 575 

Massacre at Pigeon Eoost, In- 

iana territory 575 

New method of subduing 580 

Warfare in the northwest 607 

Tradition of Illinois 609 

Customs, traditions 612 

Idaho 747 

Irvine, General William, letter of... 407 
Irvine, General William, letter to 

Washington 408 

Indian territory 748 

Indiana territory, population of 543 

Indiana territory, divided 557 

Illinois, history of 704 

Indiana, history of 698 

Iowa, history of 715 

Introduction • 9 

Jackson,General,governorof Florida 589 
Jackson's, General, proclamation re- 
lative to Spanish officers 589 

Jackson's, General, anti-nullifica- 
tion proclamation 593 

Jamestown, English settlement 

founded 278 

Jay, John, letter of, to Thomas Jef- 
ferson 434 

Jefferson's, Thomas, views 352 

Jefferson, Thomas, and Aaron Burr 543 

Johnson boys, escape of 477 

Jones, Hugh, on Virginia 296 

Kaskaskia — 

Settlements at 298 

Grants of lands 298 

Plan for capture of by Clark ... 356 
Expedition against 359 



778 



INDEX. 



Kaskaskia — 

Expedition from, against De- 
troit 403 

Condition of inhabitants 478 

Address of citizens to Winthrop 

Sargent 487 

Kanawha river, settlement at 428 

Kansas, history of 724 

Kentucky, history of ;•••*.** ®^® 

Kentucky, record of land entries in 403 

Kenton, Simon, sketch of 595 

Kirk, the noted Indian killer 472 

Knox, General Henry, Secretary of 

War 472 

Knox, Colonel James/'long hunters" 371 

Lands— 

Ancient regulations concerning 117 
Verbal possession taken of Lou- 
isiana 122 

Ferdinand and Isabella, grant 

to from Pope Alexander VL. 127 
Alonzo de Ojeda, a Spaniard, 

attempts a colony in America 128 
Grants of King James I. for 
colonies and plantations in 

America 130 

The Virginia Company — some 
views of one of its members 

concerning 132 

Offers of Maryland of lands to 

transported persons 133 

Essay on lands by Lord Bacon 133 
Sir Wm. Petty to Win. Penn... 134 
Pennsylvania granted to Wm. 

Penn 134 

Indian Deed to Penn 135 

Act against buying lands from 

Indians — Pennsylvania 136 

Confirmation of Indians' lands, 

Virginia 137 

Grants to settlers in New Jersey 138 
Extravagant land grant of New 

York 139 

Act for planting and seating 

lands in Virginia 140 

Price of lands 140 

Payment of rents in Carolina... 141 

Holden of the King — Conn 141 

Fraud in buying lands — Georgia 141 
Lands for Protestants — South 

Carolina 142 

Instructions to survey ers — Car- 
olina 143 

Holding large tracts of land — 

South Carolina 143 

Purchasing lands from Indians, 

South Carolina 144 

Settlement of lands — Virginia.. 144 
Act of encouragement to set- 
tlers — Virginia 145 



Lands — 

A proclamation of defense by 
Robert Dinwiddie 146 

Hunting on Indian lands, act 
to prevent — Pennsylvania.... 147 

Lands reserved for Indians 148 

Opinion of high court of chan- 
cery of Virginia 149 

Land bounties to officers and 
soldiers 150 

Notice to settlers on Indian 
lands-Pennsylvania and Vir- 
ginia 150, 152, 154 

Punishment for settling on In- 
dian lands — Pennsylvania.... 152 

Relief to settlers on certain west- 
ern lands 155 

French grants of in Canada and 
Louisiana 155 

French grants in 1686 156 

Spanish grants of in Florida.... 157 

Grants of in Louisiana 158 

Forms of Spanish land grants.. 159 

Laws. Ancient, Pertaining to Re- 
ligion and Morals — 

English laws 85 

England, laws of, 1087.. 86 

False news, 1275 , 86 

Laborers in 1360 86 

Punishment of heresy in 1400 

86, 87, 88 

Slavery in England 89 

Sorcerers to be punished capi- 
tally 89 

Reading the Bible and preach- 
ing 89 

Statutes against fighting in 

churches 90 

Elizabeth, an act of first year 

of her reign 91 

Punishment of high treason 91 

Destruction of altars, etc 92 

Slanderous words against the 

Queen 92 

Heresies and blasphemies, pun- 
ishment of 93 

Discovery of witches 95 

Indictments, forms of 96 

Vagabonds and beggars of Scot- 
land 96 

Interpretation of statutes 96 

Laborers and husbandmen in 

Ireland 97 

Pressing to death 97 

Burning heretics 98 

Instruments of torture 99 

Rewards for killing slaves in 

Jamaica 100 

Cardinal Richelieu 100 

French Colonies in America. ... 101 



INDEX. 



779 



Laws, Ancient, pertaining toRe- 
ligion and Morals — 

Louisiana under government of 

Spain 101 

Spanish code, blasphemy under. 102 
China, extracts from penal code 

of 102 

Hindoo code, extract from 102 

Hindoo code, concerning thieves 103 

La Salle arrived in Canada 287 

La Salle arrived at river St. Joseph 290 
La Salle built Fort Creve Coeur.... 290 

Laws in regard to militia 503 

Laws, thirty-eight made at Cincin- 
nati 525 

Laws for punishing maiming 538 

Laws relating to gambling, duelling, 

etc 541 

Lakes and rivers, names of 602 

Lake Champlain 281 

Lake Erie, first steamboat on 583 

La Fayette landed at New York.... 591 

La Fayette died 594 

Letters patent by Queen Elizabeth.. 276 
Letters patent to Sir Walter Ra- 

leigh 276 

Letters patent by King James 1 277 

Letters patent from King James I... 280 

Lewis and Clark's expedition 555 

Leopard, ship of war 559 

Lexington, battle of 350 

Lewis', Colonel Andrew, expedition 345 

London Virginia Co 279 

Louis XIII., royal charter of 282 

Louisiana — 

History of 677 

First produce from, to France.. 296 

Colonists to 297 

Importation of slaves 298 

Ordinance of Louis XV. reg- 
ulating slavery — 298 

Government of, reverted to 

crown of France 303 

Cession of to Spain 322 

Emigration to 332 

Treaty of American citizens in. 447 

Threatened invasion of 511 

Province of 535 

Purchase from France, and 

boundary of 553-4 

Act of Congress concerning 555 

Lief, voyage to Vinland 12 

Logan's, Colonel Benj., expedition.. 432 
Lochry, Archibald, extract from let- 
ter of 355 

Logan, Indian chief 345 

Locomotive, speed of first 590 

Le Sueur arrives at mouth of Mis- 
sissippi river , 294 

Lundy's Lane, battle of 576 



Maine, history of 615 

Maryland, history of 651 

Maryland, charter of granted 282 

Maryland,first English settlement in 283 
Marquette and Joliet arrive at Green 

Bay 289 

Marshall, John, died 594 

Marietta laid out 450 

Marietta, St. Clair arrived at to or- 
ganize the government 467 

Marietta, first session of court open- 
ed by prayer 470 

Massachusetts, history of 619 

Massachusetts, prohibits settlement 

of Quakers 285 

Massachusetts, interferes with the 

press 287 

Massachusetts, complaints of 344 

Massacre of Wyoming 359 

McDonald, Angus, expedition of 345 

Mechlenburg, meeting of citizens at. 352 

Methodist church 559 

Mexican war, battles of 605 

Michigan, history of 708 

Military establishments, expendi- 
tures of 564 

Minnesota, history of 713 

Mississippi, history of 674 

Mississippi river, navigation of 446 

Mississippi river, floods in 601 

Mississippi Company assumes name 
of the " Company of the Indies"... 298 

Missouri, history of., 718 

Missouri river, first steamboat on... 583 

Missouri Compromise 589 

Missouri, act of General Assembly of 592 

Montana 750 

Mormons settled at Nauvoo 605 

Miscellaneous Laws and Orders — 

Marshall's fees — Virginia 244 

Words concerning the King — 

Virginia 244 

Monopolies — Massachusetts 245 

Governor's supplies — Virginia. 245 
Corn and beans at elections — 

Massachusetts 245 

Taxes — Virginia 246 

Dutch and French trade pro- 
hibited— Rhode Island 246 

Curious order of the Virginia 

Assembly 247 

Shooting of guns prohibited ex- 
cept at times of funerals and 

marriages — Virginia 247 

Spinning — Massachusetts 248 

Men pressed to build a state 

house — Virginia 248 

Virginia 249 

Pillories, etc., to be erected at 
each court — Virginia 250 



780 



INDEX. 



Miscellaneous Laws and Orders— 
Punishment of a member of 
General Assembly — Mary- 
land 250 

Punishment of drunkenness — 

New Jersey 251 

Regulations for French resi- 
dents — Massachusetts 251 

Fences — Carolina 252 

Enforcement of law — Pennsyl- 
vania 252 

Pay of jurors — Maryland 253 

Attorney's fees — Maryland...... 253 

Voters required to appear at 

the polls — Maryland 254 

Qualification of voters — Caro- 
lina 255 

Grandeur and authority of 

courts — Maryland 255 

Rate of taxation on land and 

slaves — South Carolina 257 

Crows and squirrels — Maryland 257 
Oath of an attorney — Virginia. 259 
Who allowed to keep tavern — 

South Carolina 259 

Beasts of prey — South Carolina 260 

Hunters — North Carolina 260 

Bread— South Carolina 261 

Deerskin breeches for soldiers 

—New Jersey... 261 

Killing deer — South Carolina .. 261 

South Carolina 262 

Prisoners for debt not worth 40 

shillings — North Carolina.... 263 
Provoking language — Virginia 263 
Order of general court — Vir- 
ginia 264-5 

Penalty for freeholders failing 

to vote — Virginia 265 

Convicts excluded from Vir- 
ginia 266 

Charge to a grand jury, 1745 — 

Virginia 267 

Extracts from presentment of a 
grand jury, Charleston, South 

Carolina, 1765 269 

Narvaez, expedition of 273 

National Growth — 

An ocean-bound Republic 765 

Our geographical position 766 

Isthmus of Suez 766 

The First Napoleon 766 

Trans-continental railway 767 

Isthmus of Panama 767 

Railways over water carriage... 768 
The conquests of the Occident.. 770 

An empire of democracy 771 

American ascendency 771 

Navigator, extracts from 563 

Nebraska, history of 726 



Nevada, history of 731 

New England Indians 589 

New Amsterdam laid out 279 

New Hampshire, charter granted for 290 

New York, history of 626 

New York, newspapers burned in... 303 

New York, negro plot 305 

New York, colonial congress met in. 308 

New York, first congress met at 472 

New Hampshire, history of 617 

New Jersey, history of 646 

New Mexico 749 

Nicolet, explorations of 283 

Nova Scotia, offer of land by the 

British to emigrants 308 

North Carolina 659" 

Ohio, history of 686 

Ohio river visited by Spaniards 287 

Ohio river falls of, town laid out. ... 303 

Ohio river, first sea vessel on 552 

Ohio river, trade and commerce 559 

Ohio river, great flood in 593 

Ohio and Wabash rivers 303 

Ohio canal 592 

Ohio company organized 307 

Ohio company of associates, extract 

from journal of 450 

Ohio adopted a constitution 552 

Ohio rapids, gloomy prospects at.... 473 
Old Fort Redstone, name of early 

settlers at 335 

Oregon, history of 733 

Ordinance of 1787 439 

Osceola, movements of 594 

Osceola, seizure of and confinement. 597 

Pacific Ocean discovered 273 

Papineau rebellion 598 

Parliament prohibited trade with 

Virginia 285 

Peace between England and France 

concluded... 322 

Peace, articles of, signed between 

United States and Britain 410 

Pennsylvania, history of 634 

Pennsylvania granted to Wm. Penn. 290 
Pennsylvania, reward for Indian 

scalps 401 

Pennsylvania, act of assembly of.... 434 

Pensacola, colony established 293 

Perry, Commodore, died 583 

Philip's, King, war against the Ply- 
mouth colony 290 

Phenomenon 594 

Philadelphia, riots in 601 

Pioneer settlements, progress of 

337, 338, 339 
Pittsburg Gazette, first paper west of 

Allegheny mountains, published.. 431 

Pioneers, the early 545 

Port Royal founded 277 

Port Royal, Nova Scotia, captured. 296 



INDEX. 



781 



Poe, Andrew, and Big Foot 407 

Post, Christian, Frederick 320 

Pontiac's confederation 322 

Pontiac's assassination 335 

Posey, Thomas, a senator from Lou- 
isiana 576 

Printing office, first in Eng. colonies 283 
Printing presses, order of King 

James 291 

Prairie du Chien, fort at, built 316 

Presbyterian missionaries 334 

President of Congress, letters to from 

Secretary of War 426 

Putnam, General Kufus, letter to 

Washington 490 

Putnam, General Eufus, died 590 

Quakers, execution of... 285 

Quakers banished from Maryland .. 286 

Quakers visit Indian towns 342 

Quakers' remonstrance against slave 

trade 410 

Quebec, site of, selected 279 

Quebec, capture of 320 

Queenstown, battle of 575 

Railroads, first in Unite States 592 

Railroads, passenger 592 

Eeed, President, letter of 405 

Rhode Island, history of 622 

Slavery — 

Colonial laws relating to 190 

Among ancient nations 

190, 191, 192, 193, 194 

Soto, Dominico 195 

White servants — Massachusetts 195 

Servants and their secret mar- 
riage forbidden in Virginia... 196 

Punishment of runaway ser- 
vants in Virginia and Mary- 
land 197,219 

Christian slaves and white ser- 
vants—Carolina 198, 202 

Servants and slaves in Virginia 

198, 199, 200, 201 

Negro and Indian slaves to be 
whipped in New Jersey 202 

White servants in Carolina 202 

Regulating slaves in Carolina 
and cruelty to 203, 222 

Slaves not to be encouraged to 
work on Sabbath — Carolina.. 203 

Act to encourage importation of 
white servants to Carolina... 204 

White servants — Pennsylvania. 205 

Act relating to mulatto and ne- 
gro slaves — Massachusetts.... 206 

Sick or lame servants — Vir- 
ginia 207 

Servants' freedom dues in Vir- 
ginia and Maryland 207, 217 

Punishment of outlying slaves — 
Virginia 208 



Slavery — 

Baptism of slaves — New York.. 209 

Slaves can not testify against 
freemen — New Jersey 209 

Drunkenness, cursing etc., of — 
New Jersey 209 

Punishment of criminal slaves, 
Pennsylvania 210 

Indian slaves — Carolina... 211, 221 

Laws of Massachusetts... 211 

White servants and stealing — 
Carolina 212, 222 

Additional laws regulating 
slaves in Carolina and Penn- 
sylvania 213,214 

Slaves to be whipped in New 
Hampshire 215 

Indian servants or slaves — N. 
Hampshire 216 

Baptism of slaves in Carolina 
and Maryland ^ 215,218 

Servants and time of servitude 
in Maryland 217, 218 

Food, clothing, etc., for white 
servants — Maryland 219 

Inhuman severities, an act to re- 
strain — New Hampshire 220 

Danger of Indian testimony — 
Maryland 220 

Reward to Indians for killing 
the enemy — Carolina 221 

Slaves striking a white man — 
Maryland 223 

How slaves may be emanci- 
pated — Virginia 223 

Punishment for certain crimes 
— Maryland 224 

Slaves not permitted to hunt — 
North Carolina 224 

Not above three slaves to meet 
together — New York 225 

Masters may punish at discre- 
tion—New York 226 

Food and apparel for— S. C... 226 

Stealing by slaves a felony — 
Virginia 227 

Slaves not to be overworked — 
South Carolina 227 

Penalty for teaching slaves — 
South Carolina 228 

Slaves carrying arms — 229 

Punishment for stealing slaves, 
horses, etc 229 

Free negroes not allowed to 
traffic with slaves 230 

Marriages of servants — North 
Carolina 230 

Iron collar for runaways — N. 
Carolina 231 

Slaves shall not own horses, cat- 
tle or hogs — North Carolina.. 232 



782 



INDEX. 



Slavery — 

Penalty for false testimony — 

North Carolina 233 

Slaves shall not be set free, ex- 
cept, etc. — North Carolina.... 233 
Penalty for killing, stealing or 
mis-marking cattle — North 

Carolina 234 

Slaves killed or dying under 

punishment — North Carolina 234 
White servants — N. Carolina... 235 
Runaway slaves or servants — 

North Carolina .... 237 

Slaves punished for defamation 

— Connecticut 237 

Punished for going abroad at 

night — Connecticut 238 

Clothing for white servants — 

South Carolina 238 

Slaves and poison — S. C 239 

Slave Avitnesses — Maryland 239 

Rambling slaves — Maryland ... 239 
Penalty for selling free men — 

Virginia 240 

Jews shall not have Christian 

servants — Virgini a 240 

Poor persons must work — New 

Hampshire 241 

Indian and negro servants and 

slaves — Connecticut 241 

Slaves— Georgia 242 

Connecticut 242 

Law relating to common slave- 

whipper — New York 243 

Importation of slaves — New 

York 295 

Slave market established in 

New York City— New York.. 296 
Slaves sold by the Dutch to 

Virginia colonies 280 

Slave traffic, negotiations con- 
cerning 590 

Santa Fe founded 275 

Santa Fe, archives of 292 

Scotch-Irish Presbyterians 581 

Scott's, General Charles, expedition 

493, 514 
Scott, Gen. Winfield, sent to Gorgeia. 599 

Seminole Avar 582 

Seminole war, end of 600 

Shenandoah valley, settlements in 

303, 305 

Six nations, land grants by 335 

Sioux, treaty 598 

Slaves sold by the Dutch to the Vir- 
ginia colonies 280 

Slave traffic, negotiations concerning 590 
Smith, John, explores Chesapeake 

Bay 279 

Smith, John, explores coast of New 
England 280 



Smith, John, published map of New 

England 280 

South Carolina, history of 661 

South Carolina, grants of lands to .. 302 

South Carolina, convention of 593 

St. Augustine, Florida, founded 275 

St. Clair, Arthur, letter to 343 

St. Clair, governor of territory U. S. 

northwest of river Ohio 446 

St. Clair, concluded peace with In- 
dians 472 

St. Clair, addresses "Washington 474 

St. Clair goes to Kaskaskia 477 

St. Clair, letter to 477 

St. Clair sends Sargeant to Kaskas- 
kia 486 

St. Clair's expedition 495 

St. Clair's defeat, verses concerning 502 

St. Clair, proclamation of 539 

St. Clair, Legislature prorogued by. 541 

St. Clair, died 583 

St. Louis, first steamboat at 582 

St. Lawrence river named 274 

Stamp act 331 

Swede settlement in Delaware 283 

Symmes, John Cleves, lands sold. 470 

Tariff law. 592 

Tecumseh born 335 

Telegraph, patent granted for 599 

Telegraph, first line erected 601 

Tennessee, history of 691 

Teeeitoeial Expansion — 

Vermont 753 

Territory northwest of the river 

Ohio 753 

Southwest territory 754 

Louisiana purchase 754 

Florida 755 

Oregon 755 

Texas 755 

California 755 

Alaska 755 

Texas, history of 679 

Texas, independence of 599 

Texas, annexation of 604 

Thames, battle of 575 

Thompson, Gen. Wiley, in Florida. 594 
Todd's, Colonel John, proclamation 

at Kaskaskia 399 

Tramontane, order 297 

Transylvania, colony of 350 

Transylvania colony, resolutions of. 351 

Upper Canada explored 280 

United States of America acknowl- 
edged by France 356 

United States, cession of territory to 

by states 416 

United States and Spain, treaty be- 
tween 528 

United States standing army of 1785 428 



INDEX. 



783 



United States, treaty of peace with 

England, 1814 579 

United States bank and General 

Jackson 593 

United States bank 594 

United States expedition, discover- 
ies of 600 

United States, old bank of, failed... 600 

Utah 744 

Van Rensselaer, arrest of 599 

Verrazzani sailed along the eastern 

coast of America , 273 

Vermont, history of.. 618 

Virginia — 

History of 654 

Colonists first plant tobacco 280 

Massacre of colonists by In- 
dians 281 

Charters abrogated 281 

Importation of convicts prohib- 
ited 286 

Granted to Lord Culpepper and 

Earl of Arlington 289 

Rebellion in 290 

Suppression of printing press in 291 
Convention adopts " bill of 

rights" 353 

Dictator wanted 353 

Act of Assembly of 402 

Deed of crown 402 

Resolutions of 1798 537 

Insurrection in 593 

VlNCENNES — 

Permanent settlement at 304 

M. De Vincennes' fatal expe- 
dition to . 304 

Lands granted to by Indians... 305 

Post, affairs at 329 

Colonists invited to settle at 358 

Court established at 400 

Skirmish of citizens 428 

Families at... 410 

Post, council at 434 

Post, in lawless possession 438 

Post, resolutions of inhabitants 475 

Treaties of peace at 504 

Visited by Volney 526 

Condition of population 526 

First court of Indiana territory 

at 552 

• First newspaper issued 555 

Tecumseh arrives at 565 

Territorial legislation at 576 

Vespucci 272 

Vinland .... 12 

Vivier, the missionary 309 

Wabash land company 350 

Wabash, French inhabitants of 354 

Wabash and Indiana land com- 
panies unite »,.», 403 



Wabash river, expedition up by 
Clark 434 

Washington, George— 

A bearer of dispatches 311 

Defeats the French 314 

Is defeated 314 

Visits the valley of the Ohio... 336 

Proposition of 347 

Lands owned by at death 348 

Inaugurated first President 472 

Proclamation by 512 

Made lieutenant general of the 

army 538 

Died 541 

Action of House concerning. ... 541 

Washington, D. C, founded 576 

Washington, corner stone of capitol 

laid at 511 

Washington county, Pennsylvania, 

inhabitants of . 404 

Washington territory 750 

War, ancient manner of declaring.. 604 
War, declaration of between United 
States and Mexico 604 

Wayne, General— 

Army of embarked for Cincin- 
nati 508 

Victory of 514 

Report to Secretary of War 515 

Correspondence of 519-20-21-22 

Visited by Indians who sign 

treaties of peace 523 

Speech to the Indians 524 

Died 526 

West Virginia, history of 690 

Weas and Kickapoos 582 

Wesley, John, established schools in 

Georgia 304 

West Indies, ports opened 590 

White Eyes, Captain 343 

Wilkinson's, General James, ex- 
pedition 494 

Wilkinson's, Gen. James, letter to... 506 
Wikinson, Gen. James, concerning 

spies 506 

Williams, Roger 283 

Wilkes' exploring expedition 599 

Wisconsin, History of 710 

Witchcraft, execution for 292 

Witchcraft, laws against repealed... 304 
Witchcraft, punishment of by the 

Indians 556 

Wooster, Robert 405 

Wyoming..... 751 

Yucatan discovered 273 

Zinzendorf, Count, founder of Mo- 
ravian sect 305 

Zane, William and family, made 
prisoners by the Indians 312 






784 



INDEX. 



Zane, Ebenezer 341 

Zenger. John, Peter, his journal 
burnt 303 



Zoroaster, on the equality of all 

men 151 

Zuni, Pueblo, of in 1692 292 



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